West Bengal’s Poll Violence Culture, The Need For Heavier Central Force Deployment
The Election Commission has intensified security in West Bengal ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, deploying 2.4 lakh Central Armed Police Forces personnel across sensitive districts. The move is in response to repeated incidents of electoral violence and allegations of voter intimidation.
West Bengal is witnessing a heavy deployment of Central Armed Police Forces ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. The Election Commission has positioned central forces as the primary stabilising presence in several constituencies due to repeated incidents of electoral violence. The state has a history of pre-poll and polling-day violence, with hundreds of deaths and thousands of violent incidents recorded since the mid-2000s. Recent polling-day clashes in Murshidabad, including crude bomb attacks and injuries, have reinforced concerns about violence. The deployment of 2.4 lakh CAPF personnel has sharpened the standoff between the Centre and the ruling Trinamool Congress. The Election Commission's reliance on central forces has become a structural necessity due to the persistent pattern of violence in the state.
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