Police officers below constable and others will get Rs 7,500

West Bengal News: For the first time, West Bengal has decided to pay honorarium to police personnel for participating in election duties in connection with the Lok Sabha elections. This is the first time that such fees have been given, it is being done as per the election norms. Till now, only civil officials (Returning Officer or Assistant Returning Officer) used to get fees, but the Bengal government has decided to change this. Over Rs 31 crore has been sanctioned for West Bengal Police fees. Around 100 officers of Kolkata Police got around Rs 10 lakh. Officer-in-charge of police stations up to the DG level in Bengal will get one month’s basic salary as honorarium, while officers below police constable and others will get Rs 7,500.

A senior official explained that such fees are necessary for the force as elections involve tough work for both civil officials and police personnel. However, many in political circles criticised the move. BJP leader Locket Chatterjee said, “The TMC government will definitely reward the police because the police helped improve the election result. “Without the police, they would not have got so many seats, that is why they are rewarding the staff.” BJP’s Agnimitra Paul also said that the move is aimed at rewarding police officers who “work as TMC cadres”. Bengal police register false cases. They behave like middlemen to resolve internal disputes between TMC leaders. Police-crime nexus is a proven fact in Bengal. Police is the election machinery that helps TMC win any election. Police helps hide dreaded criminals like Sheikh Shahjahan. They also intimidate voters who support the opposition. So, it is justified to get fees.” Meanwhile, bureaucratic sources said that the fees are common in all states.