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The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has provided the Central Industrial Security Force's 'Y-plus' category armed security cover to West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) , officials said.
The security cover has been granted based on a threat perception report prepared by intelligence agencies. The security cover came into effect on Friday, coinciding with the start of the hearing process under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive, a crucial exercise aimed at updating and cleaning electoral rolls ahead of upcoming elections. With the revision process entering a sensitive phase involving claims, objections, and public hearings, the Centre has stepped in to ensure the safety of the state's top election official. Under the new arrangement, CISF personnel will provide round-the-clock security to the CEO during his movements across West Bengal, at his office, and at his residence. The Y-plus category security includes armed commandos and close-protection officers, reflecting heightened concerns about potential threats during the politically charged electoral exercise. The Special Intensive Revision is being conducted across West Bengal to verify voter details, remove duplicate and ineligible entries, and ensure the electoral rolls remain accurate and inclusive. The exercise involves booth-level officers, electoral registration officers, and hearings at multiple levels to address complaints related to inclusion, deletion, or correction of voter names. The hearing phase for the ongoing SIR started on December 27 for nearly 32 lakh electors in West Bengal who could not trace themselves, their parents, or their grandparents in the 2002 electoral roll. During the hearing phase, identification documents of these 'unmapped' electors will be recorded and verified by election officials. This phase will conclude on February 7, 2026. Each Assembly constituency is likely to have 11 hearing tables across multiple venues, like schools or government offices. Cumulatively, 294 electoral registration officers, 3,200 assistant electoral registration officers, 4,600 micro-observers and over 80,000 booth-level officers will be engaged in the hearing process across the State, sources in the CEO's office said. The Election Commission of India recently appointed micro-observers from existing Group B Central government staff in West Bengal and has been tasked to scrutinise the hearing process in West Bengal. (ANI)
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