Kalimpong Administration Conducts Inspection of Sensitive Polling Booths Ahead of Elections

KalimNews, Kalimpong, April 16, 2026: In a coordinated effort to ensure peaceful and fair elections, the District Magistrate of Kalimpong, Kuhuk Bhushan, Superintendent of Police Aparajita Rai, and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) District Coordinator Saroj jointly carried out a comprehensive inspection of sensitive polling booths across Kalimpong district on Wednesday.

The initiative was undertaken following directives issued by the Chief Secretary and the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to ensure that the upcoming elections remain fear-free, violence-free, threat-free, and inducement-free.

As part of the inspection, the team conducted a route march in and around Champamaya Junior Basic School and Champamaya High School, which have been identified as sensitive polling stations. The march aimed to instil confidence among voters and ensure a secure and independent environment, enabling them to exercise their democratic rights without fear or intimidation.

The officials also visited the polling stations within the school premises, where an incident of election-related disturbance had been reported during the 2023 Panchayat elections.

District Magistrate Kuhuk Bhushan stated that the administration undertook a detailed assessment of the area to evaluate preparedness and security arrangements. She noted that the situation is currently peaceful and that the purpose of the visit was to reassure voters and strengthen their confidence in the electoral process.

“We along with BLO visited the premises of the booth. Now there is peace so we have come here to state and give confidence to the voters that there is nothing to fear. There will be free, fair and peaceful elections in all booths,” Bhushan said.

Superintendent of Police Aparajita Rai emphasised that the inspection was also aimed at preventing any recurrence of past incidents and ensuring strict vigilance. She urged the public to maintain peace and harmony and cautioned that strict action would be taken against anyone attempting to disrupt the electoral process.

She said, “In 2023 during the Panchayat Election, a case of election disturbance was registered. We visited the place so that such incidents are not repeated once again. Although necessary steps were taken at that time and a case was registered, arrests were also made. Out of three cases, two were acquitted and the trial of one case is still continuing and pending. We know Kalimpong is a peaceful area and stray incidents sometimes tarnish our image, so strict action is taken. We want to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in the future. We have visited here for confidence building. "

"We appeal to people to call us in case of emergency at 112, our toll-free helpline, or contact the police station. We will take action against those who engage in such activities during, before, and after the election. We request everyone not to plan any disruptive incidents, otherwise strict action will be taken. We have identified vulnerable booths based on past incidents. In Lingsey, another incident was reported in February this year, which was not related to elections but was linked to a cooperative society theft and vandalism case. We did not ignore it and have taken it into consideration” she added.

The administration clarified that joint visits to critical polling stations and route marches by CAPF personnel are being conducted as part of area domination and confidence-building measures.

Extensive security arrangements and monitoring mechanisms are being put in place to ensure the smooth conduct of polling.

The district administration reiterated its commitment to conducting free, fair, and peaceful elections across all booths in Kalimpong, urging citizens to cooperate and participate responsibly in the democratic process.