West Bengal’s political landscape is heating up as the Election Commission of India’s complete bench prepares for a March 1 visit. Timed perfectly after the February 28 voter list finalization and SIR closure, the two-day tour promises in-depth reviews.
The schedule was locked in during CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal’s interface with the full bench at New Delhi on Tuesday, focusing on state-specific electoral challenges.
Kolkata meetings will engage a wide array of officials, including subordinate CEOs and DEOs, to evaluate post-revision readiness for the 2026 polls.
Voting dates announcement is imminent—early March, as instructed—paving the way for campaign frenzy.
Central to deliberations was poll phasing. Pushing for a single-phase extravaganza, Agarwal highlighted his office’s preparedness with ample CAPF backup. The commission leaned towards a three-phase ceiling at most.
Echoing 2001’s single-phase precedent, recent polls have been phased heavily. A streamlined approach could energize the process but tests logistical limits in Bengal’s charged atmosphere.
The ECI’s hands-on approach via this visit aims to fortify the electoral framework, mitigating risks and fostering voter confidence ahead of the high-stakes battle.