Elections will be held in only three rounds, 2.5 lakh soldiers will be deployed… Know what are the preparations of the Election Commission for Bengal elections.

Bengal:The Election Commission has intensified preparations for the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal. This time, the plan to complete the voting process in fewer phases is being seriously considered. According to sources, elections in the state can be conducted only in three phases. If this plan comes into effect, it will be considered a big achievement for the Election Commission, because in the year 2021, voting was conducted in Bengal in eight phases. Historically also, elections in West Bengal have been held in several phases.

Plan to hold elections in a short time
Let us tell you that West Bengal has been considered a sensitive state from the point of view of political violence and security for a long time. For this reason, earlier elections were conducted in more phases, so that the security arrangements could be handled in a better way. However, one reason for the higher number of election phases in 2021 was the Corona epidemic. This time the focus of the Commission is on conducting elections in less time through better security management.

Preparation for major deployment of security forces
According to sources associated with the Election Commission, this time around 2.5 lakh paramilitary forces can be deployed in Bengal. This number will be almost double compared to the earlier elections. The purpose of such a large presence of security forces is to effectively control violence and ensure peaceful voting in fewer phases.

Central Election Commission will review
Preparations are being finalized by the State Election Commission. After this, a delegation of the Central Election Commission will visit West Bengal and assess the arrangements at the ground level. In this connection, an important meeting was also held on January 5, in which the Chief Election Commissioner discussed with the election officials of those states where elections are proposed this year.

State election officer’s claim
During the meeting, West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Aggarwal informed that the state is ready to conduct voting in three phases. He also said that for this some increase in the number of security forces would be necessary. The Commission is now deliberating on the practicality and security aspects of this proposal.

Views and assessments of political parties
Discussions have intensified in political circles regarding the possibility of reducing the number of election phases. Sources associated with BJP believe that the prolonged elections give Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee a strategic edge. He claims that in short term elections the opportunities for handling anti-incumbency are limited.

Expected voting deadline
It is being told that this time voting on 294 assembly seats of the state can be held in the last week of April or the beginning of May. In 2021, the elections were held from 27 March to 29 April and the results were declared on 2 May. Now all eyes are on the final decision of the Election Commission, which will decide the direction of Bengal politics.