All deputy commissioners of Kolkata Police have been directed to post “action taken” responses to complaints raised on social media, as a confidence-building measure among voters, sources said.
Hundreds of people are taking to social media to voice grievances about the electoral process.
“It could be a complaint or an apprehension against an individual or a political party, or an incident linked to the polls that warrants police action. We try to address each of them. However, in most cases, senior officers who act do not respond on social media, leaving the complainant unaware of the steps taken,” said a joint commissioner-level officer of Kolkata Police.
On Wednesday, Police Commissioner Ajay Nand directed all divisional deputy commissioners to respond to any election-related queries or complaints posted on social media.
“The police are acting on various complaints received through social media, but responses detailing the action taken are often not posted online. The CP said sharing
such updates would boost public confidence and act as a deterrent to the accused and other troublemakers,” a senior Kolkata Police officer said.
The top cop instructed the officers to respond to any problem on social media “as soon as possible”.
“The DCs can also post a reply on their social media handle citing the incident,” the CP reportedly told the
officers.
All 10 divisions of Kolkata Police have separate handles on Facebook and X, through which the divisional deputy commissioners interact with the public.
“More interactions and responses made public through social media platforms could become a confidence-building tool before the elections,” said an officer at Lalbazar on Wednesday.
Officials believe that visible responses on social media will not only improve accountability but also discourage attempts to spread fear or misinformation ahead of polling.