Kolkata, Dec 24: The number of phases for the crucial West Bengal Assembly elections scheduled next year is likely to be significantly reduced compared to the previous two polls in 2016 and 2021, if the Election Commission of India (ECI) accepts recommendations from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal.
A preliminary decision on the matter is expected at a key meeting of the Commission on January 5. The meeting will be attended by West Bengal CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal, along with senior officials from his office, sources said.
According to sources in the CEO’s office, the proposal is to conduct the Assembly elections in a single phase, or, if that is not feasible, in a maximum of two phases. “That is precisely why the crucial meeting on January 5 has been convened — to discuss logistical arrangements, particularly the deployment of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), which would be required for a single-phase or two-phase election,” a source said.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, West Bengal went to polls in eight phases, with voting held between March 27 and April 29. In 2016, the elections were conducted in six phases, with the first phase spread over two days, effectively making it a seven-phase exercise.
While opposition parties in the state have traditionally welcomed multi-phase elections, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has consistently opposed prolonged polling schedules.
Sources noted that a single-phase or two-phase election in 2026 would have both advantages and challenges. “One major advantage is that political parties will not be able to move supporters from one constituency to another, addressing the long-standing complaint of outsider mobilisation and voter intimidation on polling day or the eve of polls,” a source said.
However, such a compressed polling schedule would require substantially higher deployment of CAPF, particularly on the polling day. “If the Commission can ensure adequate security arrangements, a single-phase or two-phase election is quite feasible,” the source added.
Meanwhile, hearing sessions for claims and objections to the draft electoral rolls in West Bengal will begin on Tuesday. A training programme for around 4,600 micro-observers appointed to monitor the hearings will be held on Wednesday at Nazrul Manch in south Kolkata.
These micro-observers include Central government employees and staff from central public sector undertakings and public sector banks, primarily from Group B, with some from Group A categories.
The final electoral rolls for West Bengal are scheduled to be published on February 14 next year. Shortly thereafter, the ECI is expected to announce the dates for the Assembly elections due next year.
