The Calcutta High Court has issued a directive to ensure the deployment of central forces in all polling booths across West Bengal for the upcoming panchayat elections. The court's division bench, led by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam, issued the order in response to a petition filed by a group of state government employees expressing concerns over the safety and security of polling personnel.
The court directed the coordinator responsible for deploying central forces to pass the necessary orders to ensure that personnel are stationed in each of the state's 61,000 polling booths. Acknowledging a potential challenge in meeting this requirement, the State Election Commission (SEC) highlighted a norm that stipulated a minimum deployment of four personnel per group. However, the court suggested that necessary relaxations can be made to this norm to enable the presence of central forces in all booths.
The deputy solicitor general informed the court that approximately 65,000 active central police personnel and 70,000 state police personnel would be available for the elections. The court suggested a deployment ratio of 50:50 between the central and state forces, which was deemed sufficient to address the concerns raised.
To implement the directive, the court entrusted the Inspector General of the Border Security Force (BSF), who serves as the force coordinator appointed by the central government, with the responsibility of issuing the necessary orders. This move aims to ensure the comprehensive deployment of central forces throughout the state.
The court's order brings relief to both the State Election Commission and opposition parties. The poll panel had faced questions about the mapping of sensitive booths and the deployment of armed forces, but the court's decision has provided clarity on the matter. Opposition parties welcomed the directive but raised concerns about the independence of central force personnel and emphasized the need for a mechanism to address emergencies during the polling process.
In response to these concerns, the court stressed the importance of developing a mechanism that allows polling officers to contact central force commanders in case of emergencies. This measure aims to ensure prompt and effective action by the central forces in the event of any malpractice or untoward incidents at the polling booths.
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