CM-guv impasse over central forces

KOLKATA: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s salvo against governor Keshari Nath Tripathi has triggered a debate.
Though Mamata took exception to Tripathi’s stand on central force deployment on October 3 civic polls, the Constitution allows the governor to do so when the request comes from the state election commission. “The governor, when so requested by the SEC, shall make available to the SEC such staff as may be necessary for the superintendence, direction and control of elections,” Article 243K (3) says.
Tripathi apparently didn’t write to the Centre asking for paramilitary forces on his own but did so, after receiving a letter from the SEC soon after the state turned down the SEC proposal asking for central forces. The state had opposed such deployment, citing financial burden and intelligence inputs about extremist activities.
The SEC was apparently not aware that the Centre had sanctioned six companies of central forces already on duty in Bengal. Even the state police seemed to have no clue and on Wednesday, made the security arrangements with available forces.
Confusion reigned from the beginning. The letter trail began in July with SEC writing to the state, seeking central force deployment for civic polls, including in Bidhannagar and Asansol. Citing an SC order (2013), the SEC also wrote to the Centre, seeking central forces for “free and fair polls” on October 3. State election commissioner S R Upadhyay also wrote to the governor, as he was the appointing authority.
Tripathi then wrote to the Centre, in support of SEC’s demand, for central forces. On September 23, the Centre said the state could use 6 CRPF companies already in Bengal.
In a letter to the state home secretary, the SEC formally sought six companies of CRPF in connection with area domination, route march in Asansol, Bidhannagar and Siliguri between September 30 and October 3. The SEC’s letter suggested a deployment plan of the CRPF seeking the final format from the state home secretary.
Currently, six CRPF battalions are posted in Bengal, primarily for anti-Maoist operations. A part of the CRPF is also deployed in Darjeeling and Alipurduar. A company has about 80-100 jawans, a battalion 700.
On September 28, the state wrote to the SEC. Citing intelligence inputs, it said central forces deployed for anti-Naxal operations in Bengal could not be pulled out. CRPF in north Bengal was also needed to tackle the Hills situation and activities of extremist groups.
In a quandary, the SEC again wrote to the Centre on September 29. The SEC has asked for two CRPF companies for 41 wards of the Salt Lake-Rajarhat civic polls— one company for wards 1 to 21 and another for wards 22 to 41. The SEC has also asked for two companies for Asansol civic polls.
For Matigara, Phansidewa, Kharibari and Naxalbari blocks of Siliguri, the SEC sought half company each.