Kolkata, April 9 – Senior police officers in Kolkata will be required to patrol the streets from 10 pm to 2 am, according to a directive issued by Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand.
On Thursday, he held a meeting with senior police officers in the city and issued this directive during the meeting. He stated that senior officers need to be more visible in public and inspect areas during the night.
The Police Commissioner has instructed officers to ensure strict surveillance in all cases related to the elections. These officers will also be able to provide necessary instructions after understanding the significance of the situation.
The Joint Police Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner-rank officers were also present at today's meeting. They have also been instructed to inspect areas during the night. These officers will be present during the cordon searches, and they will oversee the entire process.
Even these senior officers have been asked to work with the central forces. The emphasis is on inspecting and monitoring areas before the state assembly elections.
Voting will be held in the 294 assembly constituencies of West Bengal in two phases on April 23 and 29. Eleven constituencies in Kolkata will go to the polls on the 29th. The results of the election will be announced on May 4.
At this stage, the state's police administration is under the control of the Election Commission.
In the incident of unrest over the filing of nomination papers by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Suvendu Adhikari in Bhabanipur, the Election Commission asked the Commissioner of Police whether he could maintain law and order in Kolkata.
After that, the Commissioner of Police held a personal meeting with the officials of Lalbazar (city police headquarters) regarding the city's security.
It is worth mentioning that the Election Commission removed Supratim Sarkar from the post of Kolkata Commissioner of Police ahead of the assembly polls and appointed Ajay Nand.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also expressed dissatisfaction with the police's role on Thursday. It is alleged that the police did not provide proper security for her march to file her nomination yesterday.
In this situation, the police are sending a message to the public to maintain peace. It is being said that the Kolkata Police is determined to conduct voting in an environment free from fear and intimidation. Any unrest will be suppressed with strict measures. If there is an attempt to block or disrupt the polling process, appropriate legal action will be taken in accordance with the Commission's instructions.
The police are encouraging people to vote without fear. If anyone is obstructed from voting, they have been asked to report it to the police station.