Kolkata: The Election Commission on Thursday asked the enforcement agencies to intensify their activities in West Bengal ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in the state. Assembly polls are likely to be held in the state in April this year.
EC sources said that agencies were asked to deploy additional manpower if need be to plug gaps. Senior EC officials in New Delhi held a virtual meeting with enforcement agencies in West Bengal.
“Enforcement agencies have been asked to step up their activities including seizures and naka checking. If need be, agencies were asked to bring in additional manpower from outside the state for deployment in West Bengal,” said a senior poll panel official who attended the meeting.
The meeting was chaired by Gyanesh Bharti, senior deputy election commissioner. Nodal officers of all the enforcement agencies in the state such as Enforcement Directorate, BSF, Customs, Income Tax and CGST attended the meeting.
“All the agencies have been asked to send daily reports to EC. BSF was asked to intensify its activities in the bordering districts and plug all gaps,” said another official.
Meanwhile, the ECI’s full bench, led by Gyanesh Kumar Chief Election Commissioner, is scheduled to visit the state from March 8 to March 10 and hold a series of meetings to gauge preparedness ahead of the upcoming polls.
” ECI is likely to announce the election dates after the visit” said an official
