125 companies of CAPF for Bengal from February 25

Kolkata: The Union government has informed Bengal that 125 companies of central armed police forces (CAPF) are being dispatched to the state “to ensure a free and fair election”. The EC is likely to declare poll dates for Bengal soon, and the MHA order mentions that deployment will start from February 25 and must be completed by the end of the month.

According to the MHA’s Thursday order, 60 companies of CRPF, 30 of SSB, 25 of BSF and five each of CISF and ITBP will start “area domination” in different districts. The SSB and BSF have been tasked to man bordering districts like Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, North and South Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia and parts of South and North 24 Parganas.

North 24 Parganas has been allotted with the highest number of 14 companies, followed by Jhargram, Purulia and Hooghly with nine each. Murshidabad will get seven and Darjeeling, Howarh and South 24 Parganas six companies each. Kolkata has been allotted three companies of SSB. In addition, around 36 companies of central forces will be deployed in Jangalmahal, but the EC has said that they will not be used for election purposes.

A senior official said the Bengal government intended to vaccinate all polling officials before March 6.