The Union government has provided Y-plus category armed security to West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer following intelligence inputs warning of potential threats linked to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state. Officials said the decision was taken amid heightened political sensitivity surrounding the exercise, which has sparked sharp reactions from opposition parties and triggered allegations of voter manipulation ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.

According to officials, the security cover was approved by the on December 26, after which a Y-plus protection detail of the was deployed in Kolkata. The cover includes a team of around 11 to 12 armed CISF personnel assigned to Agarwal’s personal security as well as his residence. The deployment has already taken charge, reflecting the Centre’s assessment that the threat perception is serious enough to warrant enhanced protection for the senior election official.

The move comes against the backdrop of strong political pushback to the SIR process, with the ruling accusing the of deleting lakhs of legitimate voters’ names from the rolls to allegedly benefit the BJP. The TMC has claimed the revision exercise is being misused to influence the electoral outcome and has submitted a formal memorandum to Agarwal raising these concerns. With SIR hearings set to begin and political tempers rising, the enhanced security underscores the growing friction around the voter revision process and the high-stakes nature of election administration in the state.