Bengal: To ‘Manage’ post-election violence, BSF appoints nodal officers in each district

In order to control the post-election violence in West Bengal, the Border Security Force designated a nodal officer in each district. According to a top official, the appointment of such an officer was necessary to assist people who were worried about being assaulted. The contact information for each of the 22 nodal officers is shared by the central forces.

Meanwhile, as stated in a significant announcement by the State Election Commission, candidates would be regarded as elected based on the court’s ruling. The court said in its remark from two days before that successful candidates will be regarded as elected in accordance with the court’s ultimate decision.

Central troops will be stationed in the districts for the next 10 days, under high court directives. Data coordination issues between BSF and state troops initially existed, but both parties currently seem to be cooperating.

According to BSF DIG SS Guleria, “Nodal officers have been detailed by the CAPF in all the police districts for the purpose of liaising with local police for planning and making effective use by suitable deployment of CAPF/SAP troops to avert the chances of occurrence of any incident of violence in the post-panchayat election phase.”

Every district in West Bengal has deployed CAPF units up to the block level, and they are in charge of handling any cases of post-election violence. Flag marches and area dominance have thus risen in the afflicted regions.

However, several political figures have questioned the need of nodal officers in the presence of state police. According to sources in the government, the chief secretary for West Bengal presided over meetings and instructed officials that there should be no violent incidents and that CAPF should be sent to sensitive regions.