Massive Security Blanket Across 152 Constituencies for April 23 Voting

Kolkata, April 20, 2026 — With the high-stakes West Bengal Assembly elections just days away, the Election Commission (EC) has rolled out a massive, multi-layered security apparatus. To ensure peaceful and violence-free polling during the crucial first phase on April 23, the EC has officially announced the deployment of 2,193 Quick Response Teams (QRTs) across 152 constituencies.

These heavily armed and specially trained Quick Response Teams are designed to act swiftly and decisively to neutralize any incidents of political unrest, voter intimidation, or booth capturing.

Focus on Sensitive and Border Districts

The Election Commission has placed a special emphasis on districts historically identified as sensitive and prone to poll-related violence, as well as those sharing borders with neighboring states and countries.

According to the official deployment data, the volatile Murshidabad police district will witness the highest concentration of security forces, with 219 QRTs assigned exclusively to the area. Other major focal points in South Bengal include East Midnapore with 253 teams and West Midnapore with 248. The Birbhum and Malda districts will see 161 and 157 teams deployed, respectively.

Strict Vigil Over Junglemahal and Industrial Hubs

The Junglemahal region, previously a hotbed for Left-wing extremism, will be placed under a massive and strict security vigil. The EC has allocated:

• West Midnapore: 248 teams

• Bankura: 180 teams

• Purulia: 139 teams

Additionally, the crucial industrial and mining belt under the Asansol-Durgapur Commissionerate has been fortified with the deployment of 113 highly mobile QRT units.

Security Layout for North Bengal

The Election Commission has also ensured comprehensive security coverage across the North Bengal districts, which are key battlegrounds in the first phase. The district-wise deployment for the region is as follows:

• Cooch Behar: 133 teams

• North Dinajpur: 119 teams

• Jalpaiguri: 83 teams

• South Dinajpur: 75 teams

• Alipurduar: 70 teams

• Darjeeling: 52 teams

• Siliguri: 39 teams

• Kalimpong: 17 teams

The EC has mandated that all Quick Response Teams must remain in direct and continuous contact with centralized election control rooms. They are strategically positioned to intervene at a moment’s notice to guarantee that the April 23 polling is conducted in an orderly and fearless environment.