In a bid to ensure free and fair elections in West Bengal, the Election Commission has appointed Ajay Pal Sharma, a well-known Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, as a poll observer ahead of the crucial second phase of polling. He has been appointed as the Police Observer for the South 24 Parganas district, a region widely regarded as the impregnable stronghold of the TMC's second-in-command and Mamata Banerjee's nephew, Abhishek Banerjee.
The move comes ahead of the second phase of polling scheduled for April 29, which will cover 142 constituencies across South Bengal, including Kolkata.
Sharma, a 2011-batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh Police cadre and a native of Ludhiana, is known for his tough policing style and is regarded as one of the more capable officers in the force. He has been associated with numerous high-risk operations during his career.
Extensive security arrangements in Bengal
The Election Commission has put in place extensive security arrangements for the polls, deploying 2,321 companies of central forces across seven districts of West Bengal.
In addition, 142 general observers, 95 police observers and 100 expenditure observers have been stationed to oversee the electoral process. Officials said drones equipped with cameras are also being used for real-time monitoring.
Kolkata has witnessed the highest deployment, with 273 companies of central forces stationed in the city.
Campaigning for final phase of voting ends
Campaigning for the second and final phase of West Bengal Assembly polls ended today amid a fierce political battle dominated by exchanges over SIR, infiltration, corruption and unemployment, with both the BJP and the TMC making a slew of promises to voters across 142 constituencies.
During the high-octane campaign, the BJP leadership accused the ruling TMC of turning West Bengal into a haven for infiltrators, while Mamata Banerjee alleged that the saffron party was indulging in divisive politics, attempting to bifurcate the state and discouraging consumption of fish and eggs.
A total of 3,21,73,837 electors --1,64,35,627 men, 1,57,37,418 women and 792 third-gender voters -- are eligible to vote in this phase of the elections scheduled for April 29. Polling will be held at 41,001 stations, with webcasting covering all polling stations.
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