Malda district magistrate Rajnabir Singh Kapur inaugurated a master control room for 12 assembly constituencies on Tuesday afternoon at the district administrative building, deploying webcasting across 3,249 polling booths to monitor for any irregularities in real time.
The control room features three large monitors per constituency, staffed by experienced micro-observers, with live feeds accessible to Kolkata’s chief electoral officer and Delhi’s Election Commission officials. Any report of booth tampering or capturing will trigger an immediate dispatch of the Quick Response Team to the site.
This heightened surveillance follows recent unrest in Mothabari, where judicial officers were detained during protests over voter list deletions under the SIR process, prompting the Election Commission to intensify vigilance ahead of polling.
Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal visited Malda on Monday to review preparations, held meetings with district administration and political party leaders, then inspected the control room, directing observers to maintain 100% alertness.
Agarwal later told journalists that only central forces would be permitted within 100 meters of polling booths, with magistrates deployed to respond to disturbances and state police overseeing law and order.
To expedite oversight across multiple districts, Agarwal will conduct aerial inspections by helicopter on April 20 and 21, covering Malda, West Medinipur, North Dinajpur, and Cooch Behar, citing time constraints from ground-based reviews.
The deployment includes a record 172 companies of central forces—comprising CRPF, BSF, ITBP, and SSB—amounting to half a paramilitary brigade, including two women’s companies, as confirmed by police superintendent Anupam Singh.
Why was the control room established in Malda?
It was set up following protests in Mothabari over voter list deletions, which raised concerns about electoral integrity and prompted the Election Commission to increase surveillance.
Who can access the live feeds from the control room?
Live feeds are viewable by the district magistrate, Kolkata’s chief electoral officer, and Delhi’s Election Commission officials.
What forces are deployed near polling booths?
Only central armed forces are allowed within 100 meters of polling booths, with magistrates responding to disturbances and state police monitoring law and order.