Kolkata : The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, has outlined its rationale for recommending a single-phase Assembly election in the state later this year.
According to sources, the CEO’s office will soon submit its recommendation to the Election Commission of India (ECI), while emphasizing that the ultimate decision rests with the Commission’s leadership in New Delhi.
The recommendation is expected to detail why a single-phase poll would best ensure free and fair elections across West Bengal.
Insiders said the key argument in favour of a single-phase election is rooted in Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s earlier criticism of the ECI’s decision to hold the 2021 Assembly elections in eight phases, amid the second wave of COVID-19. At the time, the Chief Minister pointed out that if a single-phase election was feasible in Tamil Nadu, which has 234 Assembly constituencies, there was no justification for an eight-phase election in West Bengal, which has 294 constituencies.
“In the past, West Bengal has also witnessed single-phase polls. This will be the basis of the CEO’s recommendation. The final decision, however, will lie with the Commission,” said a senior official from the CEO’s office.
The official noted that while a single-phase poll offers advantages, it also presents certain logistical challenges.
“One major advantage is that political parties will not be able to move their supporters across constituencies, addressing the longstanding concern of outsider mobilisation on polling day or the eve of polling, which can intimidate voters,” the official explained.
On the other hand, a single-phase election would require a significantly larger deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), particularly on polling day.
“If the Commission can ensure adequate security arrangements, conducting a single-phase election is entirely feasible,” the source added.
The CEO’s recommendation is expected to reach the ECI in the coming days, setting the stage for discussions on the structure and security planning for the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal.
