KOLKATA: Sensitivity-mapping will determine the decision of the Election Commission of India (ECI) on the district-wise deployment of police observers for the forthcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal, scheduled to be held later this year.
An insider from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, said the ECI is keeping a few factors in mind regarding the district-wise sensitivity-mapping.
"The district-wise sensitivity-mapping will be under three categories. The first category comprises districts with an International Border with neighbouring Bangladesh. The second category is districts with a history of massive poll-related violence, whether before, during, or after the polls, in the last three elections. The third category will be those districts where the factors in both the first and the second categories are applicable," said the CEO's office insider.
Murshidabad, Malda, and Cooch Behar, he added, are the typical examples of districts coming under the third category, as they have borders with Bangladesh as well as past records of massive poll-related violence.
On the other hand, districts like Kolkata-adjacent Howrah are typical examples of the second category, which, though not having International Borders with Bangladesh, have records of severe political violence.
In view of these factors, the ECI is considering increasing the number of central observers under all categories, especially the police observers in these areas, the source said. (IANS)
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