The central armed police forces (CAPF) personnel deployed for election duty in West Bengal have raised concerns over substandard living conditions at several camps.
From non-functional toilets and poor ventilation to inadequate bedding and no water supply, multiple teams of CRPF companies reported deficiencies across camps, particularly in south Bengal.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has invoked emergency provisions under the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) to float tenders and fast-track arrangements for basic amenities.
CRPF officers pointed out that the arrangement is done by the state government, and issues have been flagged at different camps, mostly in south Bengal, including Purba Medinipur, Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Medinipur Birbhum, Malda, and Murshidabad.
An audit of the camp security and living conditions was done after the issues were first pointed out by the personnel on ground, and detailed reports have been sent to the district election officers.
The Centre is sending 150 additional CAPF companies to West Bengal next week, ahead of polling in two phases, and the EC has already issued orders to retain 500 companies of CAPFs until further orders.
A senior official in the chief electoral officer's office in West Bengal confirmed receiving multiple complaints from district election officers and issued directions to fix the problems.
