In a major escalation of its oversight ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated a series of high-impact measures to ensure a level playing field. On April 3, 2026, the Commission took “serious note” of a significant lapse in the state’s security deployment, revealing that over 2,100 police personnel had been assigned to provide personal cover for nearly 1,000 individuals, a vast majority of whom are leaders or supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). Decrying the situation as an inequitable distribution of state resources, the ECI has directed the West Bengal Director General of Police to conduct an immediate professional review and withdraw security from those who do not face genuine threats. This crackdown coincided with the arrest of TMC leader Hafijul Molla Pradhan for allegedly threatening voters, as well as the detention of 35 individuals linked to the violent gherao of judicial officers in Malda, an incident the Supreme Court has since referred to the NIA for a thorough probe.
The administrative purge continued with the immediate suspension of Jyotsna Khatun, the Joint Block Development Officer (BDO) of Khandaghosh in Purba Bardhaman district. Acting on the recommendation of the chief electoral officer, the ECI ordered disciplinary proceedings against her following allegations of gross dereliction of duty and partisan conduct, including claims of canvassing for the ruling party. This move follows a broader trend of “cleansing” the election machinery, with the EC having already transferred or removed dozens of top-ranking bureaucrats and police officers within the first few weeks of the Model Code of Conduct. While the TMC leadership has criticized these moves as “politically motivated interference,” the Election Commission has maintained a “zero-tolerance” policy toward any official or political figure found undermining the sanctity of the democratic process. As the state moves toward its multi-phase polling starting April 23, these strict measures signal the Commission’s intent to dismantle any entrenched networks that could influence the outcome through intimidation or administrative bias.