The Election Commission on Sunday called a two-day emergency meeting starting March 2 to review preparedness for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, amid growing speculation over the poll schedule, officials said.
The sessions will be conducted in multiple phases, focusing on security arrangements, coordination among administrative and enforcement agencies, and deployment readiness.
“On Monday, discussions will begin at 11 am. In the first phase, the commission will meet district election officers, commissioners, inspector generals, deputy inspector generals, and SPs. A second round will follow with senior police officers to review law and order and security deployment,” an official said.
Nearly 240 companies of the central armed police forces have already arrived in the state, and route marches have commenced, sources added. Deployment plans and security measures are expected to be closely scrutinised during the meet.
On Tuesday, the Commission will hold discussions with the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal and senior officials from central enforcement agencies, including the Income Tax Department, Narcotics Control Bureau, Reserve Bank of India, and the Enforcement Directorate, alongside nodal officers of the
state police.
“The Commission will take stock of preparedness at every level and fine-tune the security and enforcement framework before the announcement of polls,” a senior official said.
Earlier, a delegation led by the Deputy Election Commissioner, comprising eight officials, had been scheduled to visit West Bengal on Sunday and Monday to meet district election officers and police superintendents. The visit was deferred following a request from the state secretariat at Nabanna.
The sudden deferment of the visit, coupled with the emergency meetings, has fuelled speculation about an imminent announcement of election dates in West Bengal. Observers say the Commission appears to be taking additional steps to ensure seamless coordination across administrative and security agencies before formal notification.
The West Bengal Assembly polls, widely anticipated this year, are expected to witness heightened political activity, and the Commission’s preparations underscore the importance of robust law and order and strict adherence to electoral procedures.
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