ECI allots 700 companies of security forces to prevent post-poll violence in West Bengal

Kolkata, June 7 : In wake of reports of post-poll violence surfacing from different pockets in West Bengal since the counting for Lok Sabha polls on June 4, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to engage a total of 700 companies of both the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and State Armed Police (SAP) for the time being.

Insiders from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer said that of the 700 companies, 400 will be of the CAPF which are scheduled to stay back in the state till June 19, as per the earlier decision of the Commission. The remaining 300 companies will be from the SAP.

The decision comes a day after a vacation bench of the Calcutta High Court called for greater Centre-state cooperation in West Bengal to prevent events of post-poll violence this time.

CEO office sources said that the maximum number of companies, at 40 each, will be in areas under Murshidabad and Barasat police districts and the Barrackpore Police Commissionerate.

"In all these places, there will be a combination of the CAPF and SAP," said a CEO office insider.

As per the direction of the vacation bench on Thursday, the state police chief has been directed to make arrangements so that the victims of post-poll violence can file their complaints through email so that the police stations concerned can take necessary action.

"The Commission is especially vigilant this time about the surfacing of events of post-poll violence keeping in mind the fact the entire state was rocked by several such incidents after the 2021 Assembly polls," said the source.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is still investigating the 2021 post-poll violence.