The coordinator wrote to the ministry of home affairs and asked it to reconsider this kind of deployment. “As per the instructions issued by Calcutta High Court, CAPFs/SAPs/IRBs are to be deployed at each polling booth along with West Bengal state police in a 50:50 ratio. As per the meeting held today (July 5) with the state election commissioner, there are a total of 61,636 polling booths. Troops are not to be deployed at 528 booths as there will be no polling there, but they are required at the remaining 61,108 polling booths,” the officer said in the letter.
“As per the availability of troops, ie, 822 companies of CAPFs/SAPs/IRs, only one personnel can be deployed at each booth along with one personnel of West Bengal SAP (State Armed Police),” the officer added.
“Deployment of troops at all polling booths in isolation is against the norms/policy of deployment of CAPF troops. Keeping the present scenario in WB state, any kind of violence/booth capturing attempt can’t be overruled. A single CAPF personnel will not be able to take any action and there will be a life threat to that person,” the letter stated.
“Keeping the above aspect in view, you are requested to approach the concerned quarter and re-examine/reconsider the deployment of troops at each booth,” the officer requested.
New Plan
Later, in the late-night meeting, it was discussed to deploy half section (four jawans) of CAPF in places where one or two booths are located and where there are three or four booths, one full section (eight jawans) must be deployed. Similarly, places where five or six booths are located, one-and-a-half or two sections of CAPFs will be deployed and strongroom will be guarded by one company. This will be done in sensitive areas only and local police will guard other booths.
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