Kolkata, June 18 (IANS) The Centre has significantly reduced the deployment of central forces in West Bengal following an improvement in the state’s law and order situation after the Assembly elections. A senior government official said on Thursday that the number of central forces stationed in the state has been brought down from 500 companies to 150.

The Centre had deployed 500 companies of central forces in multiple phases after the Assembly election notification was issued. Apart from election-related duties, the forces were tasked with confidence-building measures, conducting route marches and assisting local authorities in maintaining law and order in violence-prone areas.

The large deployment was initially retained even after the elections to prevent any recurrence of the post-poll violence witnessed following the 2021 Assembly elections. However, officials said the situation has improved considerably after the change of government in the state. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has reportedly given the police administration full freedom to maintain peace and take strict action against any untoward incidents.

In view of the improved security situation, the Centre decided to scale down the deployment. According to the senior official, only 150 companies of the central forces will now remain in the state.

Sources in the state secretariat, Nabanna, said the revised deployment plan has already been implemented. Central force personnel stationed at the Nabanna camp were withdrawn on Wednesday. The forces had been deployed at the state secretariat immediately after the Assembly election results were announced on May 4.

The deployment at Nabanna was aimed at ensuring security and preventing any loss of government records during the post-election period. Since then, central force personnel have been guarding the premises and checking identity cards and bags of employees entering and leaving the secretariat. However, they were no longer seen at the complex after Wednesday morning.

This year’s Assembly elections in West Bengal were conducted in two phases under an extensive security cover. Officials noted that polling remained largely peaceful and free from major violence. No significant incidents of political killings, booth capturing or large-scale clashes were reported on polling days.

The elections were widely regarded as among the most peaceful in recent years. The decision to deploy 500 companies of central forces had been taken to ensure that both the voting process and the post-election period remained free of unrest.

With the law and order situation stabilising after the formation of the new government, the Centre has now decided to withdraw a substantial number of central force personnel from the state while retaining a smaller presence as a precautionary measure.

–IANS

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