Election Commission Retains 700 Companies of CAPFs in West Bengal After Polls: Report

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed to retain the nearly 700 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in West Bengal until further orders, even as polling came to an end on Wednesday (April 29), Hindustan Times reported citing officials.

The development comes two days after Union home minister Amit Shah said that central forces will remain in the eastern state for 60 more days after the elections are concluded.

“After completion of poll today, 700 companies of CAPF shall continue to remain deployed in the state for security arrangements and law and order duties, till further orders,” an ECI official told the daily. “The forces will be stationed in sensitive areas and will assist the state administration in maintaining normalcy.”

As per the norms, during elections, the ECI temporarily takes control of the administrative machinery – including police – to ensure ‘free and fair’ polls. On completion of the electoral process, it tapers off the powers to state officials.

Speaking to HT on this, retired IAS officer KBS Sidhu, who was a former special chief secretary in Punjab, said, “Post election, the law and order becomes a state subject. CAPFs function under the administrative command of the District Magistrate or the Superintendent of Police. If the new government believes they have sufficient forces then the large number of forces stationed there won’t have any independent authority. They will be confined to their barracks with no work. CAPFs are always brought to aid the civil authority.”

Assembly elections in West Bengal were conducted in two phases – April 23 and April 29. The results will be declared on May 4.

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) government has previously criticised the massive security deployment for the assembly polls. Meanwhile, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, in a post on X, said that the de-induction of the forces had begun.

For the first phase, around 2.5 lakh central police personnel were deployed in a record 2,450 companies – each CAPF company comprising around 100 personnel – across West Bengal. For the second phase of the polling on April 29, 2,321 CAPF companies have been deployed. The huge deployment was reportedly credited to the history of poll-related violence in West Bengal.

For the first time, the forces also brought armoured bullet-proof vehicles by road from Chhattisgarh and Jammu and Kashmir to the eastern state. CAPFs also opened a control room to monitor social media contents and relay information to quick action teams.

Meanwhile, former chief election commissioner S.Y. Quraishi said that the ECI was well within its rights to decide to retain the forces. 

“The home ministry and EC always consider the law-and-order situation before deciding to retain such a large force post polls. ECI is legally right to decide to keep the forces until a review later by whoever is in charge. In my opinion, even after results day or the formation of a new government, the state government cannot and should not withdraw the force immediately without any valid reason,” he said, as quoted by HT.

The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.