The West Bengal State Election Commission (WBSEC) will decide the security plan for the coming urban civic body polls after it gets law and order reports from district magistrates. The polls will cover seven urban civic bodies in West Bengal. The Commission will study the reports before taking a final call on the number and type of security forces needed.Key HighlightsWBSEC will first seek law and order reports from district magistrates.Security plans will be based on the situation in each district.Elections are planned for seven urban civic bodies.Kolkata and Howrah are among the civic bodies going to polls.The security plan is an important part of the election work. The Commission wants to know the law and order situation in each area before deciding on security deployment.Sources in the Commission said district magistrates will provide details about their areas. These reports will help the Commission understand the local situation. The reports will also help officials plan security for polling stations.The seven urban civic bodies include the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and Howrah Municipal Corporation. Other civic bodies include Bali in Howrah district, Haldia in East Midnapore, Dhupguri in Jalpaiguri, and Kalimpong and Kurseong in Darjeeling district.“The final call on security deployment will be taken after receiving detailed law and order assessments from the respective district magistrates.”The WBSEC has already started work for the civic polls. Earlier reports said voting may take place in the last week of November. The possible polling dates are November 28 or November 29. The counting and result date is tentatively December 2. These dates are not yet final.The seven civic bodies are expected to have voting across about 6,301 booths. Election officials are also working on other preparations. Electronic voting machines are expected to reach the districts as part of the poll process.Security arrangements can differ from one area to another. The Commission will use the district reports to understand local needs. It will then take a decision on security deployment for polling day."At present, 15 urban civic bodies in 12 districts of West Bengal do not have elected municipal boards. Their civic work is being managed by administrators. The Howrah Municipal Corporation is one of them. It last held an election in 2013, while its elected board's term ended in 2018."The final security plan will therefore be linked to the law and order reports received from the districts. The Commission's decision will be part of the wider preparations for the upcoming urban civic elections.Also Read : West Bengal Phase 2 Polls: 18.39% Turnout and Violence Reports
