Bengal Polls 2021: 52,200 personnel will be on election duty

Polling in the state will be held in eight phases beginning on March 27 and ending on April 29

CRPF DG Kuldiep Singh addresses the media conference in New Delhi.: Prem Singh

TT   |   New Delhi   |   19.03.21: CRPF director-general Kuldiep Singh on Thursday said 725 companies of central forces would be deployed for election duties in Bengal.

Addressing a media conference, Singh said 495 of the 725 companies had already reached the state while the rest were on their way. He said one company had an operational strength of about 72 personnel. This means around 52,200 personnel will be on poll duty in Bengal.

Polling in the state will be held in eight phases beginning on March 27 and ending on April 29. Votes will be counted on May 2.

The Centre appointed Singh, a 1986-batch Bengal-cadre IPS officer, as the CRPF director-general on Tuesday. He earlier held the post of special DG in the CRPF, the country’s largest paramilitary force.

On the threat assessment in Bengal, Singh said: “Threat assessments are done by state authorities in areas and they decide deployment on that basis.”

“We do not have any such assessment as to which phase would be more challenging. We provide support to the state authorities so that peaceful and successful elections can be held under the directions of the Election Commission,” Singh said.

He said the central paramilitary forces were committed to peaceful, free and fair elections. “Deployment in the different phases of polls are being worked out,” Singh said.