New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) allotted 700 companies of both the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and State Armed Police (SAP) for West Bengal as post-poll violence surfacing from different parts of the state.
According to sources, the ECI clarified that the 700 companies will comprise 400 from the CAPF and 300 from the SAP, with the CAPF deployment extending until June 19.
This decision follows the Calcutta High Court’s vacation bench’s call for central and state cooperation to curb post-poll violence. Consequently, 40 companies each will be stationed in areas under the jurisdiction of the Murshidabad and Barasat police districts and the Barrackpore Police Commissionerate.
The state’s police chief has been instructed to facilitate arrangements for victims of post-poll violence to lodge their complaints via email, enabling the concerned police stations to take necessary action.
A source stated, “The Commission is particularly alert this time to the emergence of post-poll violence incidents, bearing in mind that the entire state was shaken by numerous such incidents following the 2021 Assembly polls.”
The 2021 post-poll violence investigation is still underway by the CBI.
