Kolkata, April 26 — The Election Commission has issued urgent instructions to address the shortage of polling personnel in the upcoming second phase of elections in West Bengal. To ensure smooth conduct of the polls, the Commission has directed that central government employees who had previously served during the first phase be redeployed immediately.
According to the directive, a total of 17,276 central government staff members, who were engaged in polling duties during the first phase, must now be assigned district-wise responsibilities for the second phase. This move comes in response to concerns raised about inadequate manpower, which could potentially disrupt the election process. Officials stated that redeploying experienced personnel will help maintain efficiency and uphold the integrity of the electoral exercise. The Commission emphasized that timely district-level allocation is crucial to avoid logistical challenges and ensure that all polling stations are adequately staffed.
The second phase of voting in West Bengal is expected to witness high voter turnout, and the Commission’s decision aims to reinforce confidence in the electoral machinery by ensuring that no polling booth faces operational difficulties due to staff shortages.
