Senior Bengal Police Officers Conduct Election Preparedness Briefings Across Stations
Senior police officers across West Bengal, including the police commissioners of Kolkata and Bidhannagar, visited multiple police stations on Sunday to brief officers on election preparedness, guidelines, and law-and-order measures. This initiative follows directives from the Election Commission of India (EC) ahead of the state assembly polls, aiming to ensure a smooth and secure voting process.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Emphasizes Strict Adherence to EC Guidelines
On Sunday afternoon, Kolkata Police commissioner Ajay Nand visited Bhangar Police Station to review preparedness. Addressing officers, he emphasized strict adherence to the EC guidelines and reiterated that any attempt to interfere with voting would be met with decisive action.
"Everyone must follow EC's instructions. We have instructed the officers that cops from local police stations must accompany central force personnel during route marches and guide them to the farthest corner of the constituency within their jurisdiction to ensure no alley is left out. The cops themselves should be aware of the law and ensure everyone can cast their vote peacefully," said Nand, after presiding over an open-air meeting with multiple senior and junior officers of Bhangar division outside Bhangar Police Station.
The top cop later held a separate meeting with divisional Deputy Commissioners and then participated in a route march with central force personnel on Basanti Road. He visited multiple other police stations in various divisions throughout the day before holding another set of meetings with officers at Hare Street Police Station.
Bidhannagar Commissioner Outlines Six Key Objectives for Elections
Earlier in the day, Bidhannagar commissioner Murli Dhar visited Baguiati Police Station to implement EC's instructions, briefing officers on six key objectives: ensuring elections are violence-free, intimidation-free, inducement-free, with no false voting, no booth-jamming, and no source-jamming.
"These directives are non-negotiable. Charges of booth jams, vote-rigging, or capturing will not be tolerated under any circumstances. We will have to ensure all six objectives are met, and we discussed our strategies to meet the same," Murli Dhar said during the visit.
Additional Inspections by Senior Officers
In a related development, DIG of presidency range Kankar Prasad Barui inspected three police stations in the southern suburbs—Narendrapur, Sonarpur, and Baruipur—to assess election readiness and reinforce the importance of maintaining law and order during the polls.
The coordinated efforts by senior police officials underscore a comprehensive approach to election security in Bengal, focusing on proactive measures to prevent disruptions and ensure a fair electoral process. These briefings and inspections are part of a broader strategy to align local police forces with central directives, enhancing coordination and preparedness across all levels.
