Congress calls 822 companies of central forces inadequate, demands to increase deployment

Bengal Panchayat Election 2023: Central forces have been deployed following clashes in West Bengal in view of the Panchayat elections. Meanwhile, terming 822 companies of central forces as insufficient for free and fair panchayat elections in the state, State Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary on Sunday (June 25) demanded deployment of more central forces.

MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary also demanded that the panchayat elections should be held in at least six phases instead of one phase. Chaudhary said, “In proportion to the number of polling stations, I think this number of central forces (822 companies) is insufficient. I demand that more central forces be sent to West Bengal for the panchayat elections.”

There was widespread violence in the state
The State Election Commission (SEC) on Friday informed the Calcutta High Court that it has requisitioned 822 companies of central forces for the panchayat elections to be held in West Bengal on July 8. Let us tell you that at least eight people were killed and many were injured in different parts of the state in the last two weeks in widespread violence during the filing of nominations for the three-tier panchayat elections in Bengal.

Central forces should be used in a strategic way – Congress leader
During a program at Kolkata Press Club, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary told reporters that State Election Commissioner Rajeev Sinha should use the central forces strategically to ensure free and fair polling.

He said, “Central forces should be deployed just like assembly or Lok Sabha elections. Only then panchayat elections will be free and fair… I believe polling should be done in six or more phases.”

Chowdhary claimed that if people were allowed to vote freely in the panchayat elections, the ruling Trinamool Congress would be nowhere to be seen and that is why the government had moved the Supreme Court against the order to deploy central forces.

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