Kolkata, Feb 25 (NationPress) Starting from March 1, the vehicles assigned to personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in West Bengal will be equipped with GPS tracking devices. This measure aims to allow the Election Commission of India (ECI)-appointed central observers to monitor the effective utilization of deployed CAPF personnel from the very first day of their assignment.

The ECI has issued clear directives that the initial deployment of 240 companies of CAPF on March 1—prior to the announcement of polling dates and the implementation of the model code of conduct—must not be allowed to remain inactive. From day one, these forces will need to engage in area domination and familiarize themselves with the state’s geography.

“To ensure that the Commission's mandate for effective utilization is upheld from the outset, all vehicles assigned to these CAPF personnel will come with GPS trackers. This will enable the central observers appointed by the ECI to continuously track their movements. The observers are likely to submit daily reports concerning CAPF usage to the Commission,” revealed a source from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) office in West Bengal.

He added that the same protocol will apply to the additional 240 companies of CAPF set to be deployed in the second phase on March 10.

“In previous elections in West Bengal, numerous complaints surfaced regarding the inefficient use of CAPF personnel despite their substantial deployment, even on polling days. There were also reports of CAPF members engaging in leisure activities during duty hours. To address such concerns, the Commission has decided to enforce strict monitoring of CAPF personnel movements from day one, ensuring effective utilization throughout their deployment,” the insider from the CEO’s office stated.

The first phase deployment on March 1 will involve 110 companies from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 55 from the Border Security Force (BSF), 21 from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), 27 from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP), and 27 from the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

The second phase will deploy an additional 240 companies on March 10, including 120 from the CRPF, 65 from the BSF, 16 from the CISF, 20 from the ITBP, and 19 from the SSB.

The timeline for the de-induction of these 480 companies, which involves the withdrawal of troops, equipment, or personnel from a specific area, will be announced in due course as per the ECI’s notification.