The State Election Commission (SEC) has once again written to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs seeking 485 companies of Central forces for deployment during the panchayat elections in Bengal due to be held next month. According to sources within the commission, a letter was sent to the Centre on Sunday requesting the dispatch of 485 additional companies of Central forces. The SEC has twice requested a total of 822 companies from the Centre for the panchayat polls, as directed by the Calcutta High Court.

However, less than half of the requested forces have arrived in the state thus far. In light of this situation, the commission has once again approached the Centre for assistance. The State Election Commission is seeking the immediate deployment of the first batch of 22 Central force companies, in accordance with the court order for the panchayat polls.

Following the High Court’s reprimand and direction, the State Election Commission applied to the Centre for 800 companies of Central paramilitary forces. The Ministry of Home Affairs initially sent the first batch of 22 companies, which have already arrived in the state and commenced route marches across districts. Subsequently, the Centre allocated 315 more out of the requested 800 companies, and these forces have also started arriving in the state. However, no decision has been made by the Center regarding the remaining 485 companies sought by the state.

Previously, the state election commissioner, Rajiva Sinha, had written to the Centre regarding the remaining forces on Friday, but no response was received within the last two days. Accordingly, the commission wrote to the Centre again on Sunday. Meanwhile, Mr Sinha went to Raj Bhavan in the evening Sunday for a meeting with Governor CV Anand Bose after the Governor summoned him seeking updates on the measures being taken to ensure free and fair polls for the forthcoming elections in the state’s three-tier panchayat system. Rajiv reached Raj Bhavan at 5.25 pm on Sunday.

The Governor had previously summoned Mr Sinha for discussions on the same issue, but the latter expressed his inability to appear at Raj Bhavan at that time. Consequently, last Wednesday, the Governor refused to accept the recently-appointed Mr Sinha’s joining letter as SEC and returned it to the state secretariat. Additionally, on Saturday, the Governor instructed the police to promptly arrest and take action against the assailant of Dhananjay Choubey, a Trinamul Congress leader based in Purulia.

The Governor also expressed concern about the current situation in the state during a function honouring Swami Vivekananda in Burrabazar. He stated: “From governors to political leaders, everyone is here to serve the people. It is the people who give us power, and we must not forget that. We should not underestimate the power of ordinary people. We are accountable to the common people. You are aware of what is happening in rural areas. The current situation is not pleasant.”

Furthermore, the Sangrami Joutha Mancha, a forum of state government employees, organized a rally today demanding Central forces and CCTV coverage for all booths in the rural polls. They also submitted a memorandum to the SEC regarding this matter.