BSF says WB SEC did not give record of delicate cubicles throughout Panchayat polls

On July 9, 2023, senior Border Security Force (BSF) officers made a big disclosure relating to the latest panchayat elections held in West Bengal and the related large-scale violence. BSF DIG S S Guleria accused the State Election Commission of withholding essential info from the central safety forces for deployment at delicate polling stations through the elections.

According to Guleria, the Border Security Force had repeatedly written letters to the State Election Commission, requesting details about delicate polling stations. However, apart from June 7, no info was supplied on another day. The officer acknowledged that solely the variety of delicate cubicles was disclosed, with none particulars about their areas or different related info.

Guleria additional revealed that the BSF was deployed primarily based on the orders of the native administration. Despite the arrival of 59,000 columns of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and State Armed Police from 25 states for election obligation, they weren’t adequately utilized at delicate polling stations. The state authorities had declared solely 4,834 delicate cubicles, with solely CAPFs deployed there, regardless that there have been many extra delicate polling stations than that.

The panchayat elections held on July 8 in West Bengal have been marred by widespread violence throughout the state. Reports emerged of sales space capturing, harm to poll bins, and assaults on presiding officers from districts similar to Murshidabad, Behar, Malda, South 24 Parganas, North Dinajpur, and Nadia. Tragically, the violence resulted within the lack of over 30 lives and quite a few accidents.

The State Election Commission had established a complete of 61,636 polling stations for conducting elections to three,317 grampanchayats, 341 panchayat samitis, and 20 zila parishads in West Bengal. To make sure the protected conduct of elections, 59,000 personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces and different state police forces have been entrusted with the accountability of guarding the polling stations, together with the 4,834 delicate cubicles the place solely CAPFs have been deployed.

It is price noting that below the Trinamool Congress Party’s rule, West Bengal has witnessed a deteriorating regulation and order state of affairs. Mamata Banerjee’s authorities has been unsuccessful in containing the escalating violence, significantly the focused killings of RSS and BJP employees, which have change into distressingly commonplace. The use of bombs as a method of political rivalry has additionally change into alarmingly frequent, even on the block or village stage. Despite the numerous variety of political killings, mainstream media retailers have avoided labelling it a homicide of democracy because of the apprehension of potential vindictive actions from Mamata Banerjee’s authorities.