West Bengal Elections: 432 Observers Deployed for Transparent Vote Counting

Election Commission's Vigilant Approach

Kolkata: To ensure a fair and transparent vote counting process, the Election Commission has assigned 432 counting observers (COs) across all 294 Assembly constituencies in West Bengal. This deployment is set for Monday.

According to the poll panel's announcement, certain districts have received extra observers due to their electoral sensitivity and importance.

For instance, North 24 Parganas has been allocated 49 observers for its 33 constituencies, while South 24 Parganas has 45 observers overseeing 31 seats.

Murshidabad is also under close scrutiny with 33 observers assigned to monitor 22 constituencies.

In districts like Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Uttar Dinajpur, each constituency will have an additional observer to enhance monitoring.

During the election period from February 26 to May 2, enforcement agencies have conducted extensive operations to prevent illegal inducements, resulting in seizures valued at around Rs 561 crore.

These seizures include Rs 30.79 crore in cash and over 55 lakh litres of liquor worth Rs 145.07 crore.

Additionally, drugs and narcotics valued at Rs 127.02 crore, along with precious metals worth Rs 37.52 crore, have been confiscated.

The total value of seized freebies and other items, including foreign currency, amounts to Rs 189.86 crore.

The crackdown on illegal cash and liquor was led by personnel from the state police and the state excise department.

Central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Border Security Force (BSF), and Customs also played significant roles in these enforcement actions.

The Election Commission emphasized that the comprehensive deployment of observers, along with extensive enforcement measures and seizures, underscores its dedication to conducting free, fair, and inducement-free elections in West Bengal.