The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Y-plus category armed protection to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal, following heightened threat assessments linked to the state’s ongoing electoral roll revision exercise.
According to officials, the enhanced security cover has been sanctioned based on a detailed threat perception report prepared by central intelligence agencies.
The Y-plus category protection came into force on Friday, aligning with the start of the hearing phase under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive, a critical process aimed at updating and purifying voter lists ahead of forthcoming elections.
CISF Security Rolled Out After Intelligence Assessment
With the SIR entering a sensitive stage that involves claims, objections and public hearings, the Centre has stepped in to ensure the safety of the state’s senior-most election official.
Under the new arrangement, CISF personnel will provide round-the-clock protection to the CEO during official travel, at his office premises and at his residence across West Bengal.
The Y-plus security cover typically includes armed commandos and close-protection officers, indicating concerns over potential risks during the politically charged revision process.
The Special Intensive Revision is being conducted across West Bengal to verify voter credentials, eliminate duplicate or ineligible entries, and ensure that electoral rolls remain accurate and inclusive.
The exercise involves extensive groundwork by booth-level officers and electoral registration officials, along with hearings to resolve disputes related to inclusion, deletion or correction of voter details.
The hearing phase of the SIR began on December 27 and specifically targets nearly 32 lakh electors who were unable to trace themselves, their parents or grandparents in the 2002 electoral roll.
During this phase, identification documents of these so-called ‘unmapped’ electors will be collected and verified by election officials. The hearing process is scheduled to conclude on February 7, 2026.
Massive Administrative Machinery Deployed
Each Assembly constituency is expected to have around 11 hearing tables operating across multiple locations, including schools and government buildings.
The scale of the operation is significant, with 294 electoral registration officers, approximately 3,200 assistant electoral registration officers, 4,600 micro-observers and more than 80,000 booth-level officers engaged statewide.
Sources in the CEO’s office said that the Election Commission of India has appointed micro-observers drawn from existing Group B Central government staff in West Bengal.
These officials have been tasked with closely monitoring and scrutinising the hearing process to ensure transparency and adherence to established guidelines.
With the revision exercise progressing through a crucial phase, authorities believe the enhanced security measures are essential to safeguard the integrity of the process and the officials overseeing it.