Calcutta HC to decide on deployment of Central Forces in WB Panchayat election today

The Calcutta High Court is expected to deliver its decision today (Monday) regarding the deployment of central forces in the upcoming West Bengal Panchayat elections.

The High Court will hear the matter as discrepancies have arisen between the court's order and the actual deployment by the central government. The court had ordered the deployment of at least 82,000 personnel or 800 companies of central forces, but the central government has only sent 337 companies thus far.

The Union Home Ministry has claimed that the State Election Commission has not provided the necessary details for the deployment of central forces, including information on their deployment locations and utilization. As a result, the remaining forces have been kept on standby.

In response, the State Election Commission issued a guideline stating that central forces would not be deployed for the security of polling stations but rather for patrolling and checkpoint duties. The opposition has strongly criticized this decision, leading to a separate hearing in court today.

The division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam is set to conduct the hearing. State Election Commissioner Rajiv Sinha held a meeting on Sunday with Chief Secretary Hari Krishna Dwivedi, Director General of Police, and ADG to discuss the matter.

With only five days remaining until the voting begins, the issue of central force deployment in the West Bengal Panchayat elections remains unresolved.