Bengal polls: 2,397 preventive arrests made ahead of Phase 2 voting on April 29
Synopsis
As West Bengal heads into Phase 2 voting, the Election Commission's preventive arrest tally has crossed 2,397 in under three days — while a separate controversy over a poll observer allegedly threatening a Trinamool Congress candidate has landed in the Calcutta High Court, with the judge refusing to intervene until polling concludes.
Key Takeaways
The ECI reported 809 additional preventive arrests in West Bengal between Monday night and Tuesday afternoon, 28 April .
Total preventive arrests since Sunday morning reached 2,397 ahead of Phase 2 polling on 29 April .
The ECI did not provide a district-wise breakdown of the latest 809 arrests , unlike the previous batch.
Police observer Ajay Pal Sharma faces a court case after a video allegedly showed him threatening TMC candidate Jahangir Khan and locals in Falta constituency, South 24 Parganas .
The Calcutta High Court declined to intervene in the observer matter until after Phase 2 voting on 29 April .
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday, 28 April disclosed that 809 additional preventive arrests were made in West Bengal in the 12-hour window between Monday night and Tuesday afternoon, pushing the total number of such arrests since Sunday morning to 2,397 — all ahead of the second phase of West Bengal Assembly elections scheduled for Wednesday, 29 April.
Arrest Figures at a Glance
According to the office of the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), 1,095 preventive arrests were recorded in the 24-hour period since Sunday evening, while the count stood at 1,583 over the preceding 36 hours since Sunday morning. The latest 809 arrests represent an acceleration in the crackdown as polling day drew closer.
Notably, the ECI did not provide a district-wise breakdown of the 809 fresh arrests made since Monday night — a level of detail it had offered for the earlier batch of 1,583 arrests on Monday.
ECI's Focus on 'Potential Trouble-Makers'
The Commission has placed special emphasis this election cycle on identifying and detaining individuals deemed
Point of View
400 in under three days — signals how seriously the ECI is treating the law-and-order challenge in West Bengal, but it also raises questions about due process that the Commission has not yet addressed publicly. The Ajay Pal Sharma episode is equally troubling: a poll observer allegedly threatening a candidate on video is a direct affront to electoral integrity, and the Calcutta High Court's decision to defer intervention until after polling, while procedurally defensible, leaves the controversy unresolved during the most sensitive window. The absence of a district-wise breakdown for the latest arrests is a transparency gap the ECI should close promptly.
NationPress
3 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many preventive arrests have been made in West Bengal ahead of Phase 2 polling?
A total of 2,397 preventive arrests were made in West Bengal between Sunday morning and Tuesday afternoon, 28 April 2025, according to the Election Commission of India. The figure includes 809 arrests made in just the 12 hours between Monday night and Tuesday afternoon.
Why is the ECI making preventive arrests in West Bengal?
The ECI has specifically focused on identifying 'potential trouble-makers' across West Bengal to prevent disruption to the two-phase Assembly election process. Preventive detention is a standard pre-poll security measure, though the scale of nearly 2,400 arrests in three days is notable.
Who is Ajay Pal Sharma and why is he in controversy?
Ajay Pal Sharma is the ECI-appointed police observer for the Diamond Harbour area in South 24 Parganas district. He was seen in a video allegedly issuing threats to TMC candidate Jahangir Khan, a close aide of Abhishek Banerjee, his family members, and locals in the Falta Assembly constituency.
What did the Calcutta High Court say about the Ajay Pal Sharma case?
The Calcutta High Court's single judge bench of Justice Krishna Rao declined to intervene in the matter, stating it would not interfere in the work of anyone in charge of state elections until Phase 2 polling on 29 April is completed. A full hearing was not conducted as the case filing process was not completed on Tuesday.
When is Phase 2 of the West Bengal Assembly elections?
The second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections is scheduled for Wednesday, 29 April 2025.
