The controversy over the deployment of central paramilitary forces ahead of the panchayat elections in West Bengal on July 8 is quite indecent. The State Election Commission (SEC) initially appeared reluctant to the opposition parties’ call to bring in central forces to boost security arrangements. Alleged delay in identifying sensitive areas resulted in this Calcutta High Court orders Election Commission to seek and deploy central force, Normally, the deployment of central forces during local body elections conducted under the supervision of SEC will be at the discretion of the state government. However, it is an unfortunate reality that election-related violence is often witnessed in West Bengal. Eight people have died in the ongoing election process and there are reports of potential candidates for some panchayats being prevented from filing nominations. Under these circumstances, it would have been appropriate for the SEC to seek central forces on its own, even if the state government has some grudge against having its discretion overruled by the High Court order. However, the SEC, which should have had no doubt about it, joined the government in approaching the Supreme Court of India against the order. The Court affirmed the directions of the High Court, noting that the main issue was free and fair elections. Moreover, polling was to be held on a single day for nearly 74,000 seats across the state, and given the large number of seats and polling stations, the directions were justified.
In another unfortunate turn, the SEC responded to the apex court’s order by seeking central forces in 22 districts (one company each), which showed pique and resentment rather than compliance. The High Court has once again intervened, noting that the required strength was grossly inadequate and directed that more forces be sought, not less than the size of the forces used during the 2013 Panchayat elections, when 1.05 lakh police personnel and 82,000 central personnel were deployed They went. The controversy highlights the issue of political violence, which is quite common in West Bengal. Every election leads to a spate of violence and calls for central forces. The federal principle that law and order is under the jurisdiction of the state is often strained and tested in such times. The High Court had ordered a CBI inquiry into the incidents of serious violence after the last assembly elections in 2021. A truly independent election watchdog and a sense of responsibility among all political parties is necessary to maintain the purity of the election process.
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