Repolls Held in 15 Bengal Booths After EC Flags Irregularities

Voting was held on Saturday at 15 polling booths across two assembly constituencies in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district after the Election Commission of India ordered repolls following complaints of electoral irregularities.

Repolling took place in 11 polling stations in Magrahat Paschim and four in Diamond Harbour assembly constituencies. Voting began at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm , with authorities deploying enhanced security measures, including central forces and webcasting , to ensure a smooth process.

Officials said the repoll recorded an estimated voter turnout of around 72-75% , slightly lower than the original polling day but still considered significant. Polling was largely peaceful , though minor disruptions and isolated complaints were reported early in the day, which were quickly brought under control by security personnel.

The Election Commission ordered repolls based on reports from returning officers, election observers, and other “material circumstances” , which indicated possible violations of polling norms. These included allegations of booth capturing, voter intimidation, and procedural lapses , raising concerns about the fairness of the April 29 voting.

Polling in these constituencies was originally held during the second phase of the elections on April 29 , part of the broader two-phase assembly elections conducted on April 23 and April 29 .

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had alleged widespread electoral malpractices in several booths within these constituencies, both of which fall under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat , represented by Abhishek Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) .

To verify the claims, the Commission had deputed special observer Subrata Gupta to assess the ground situation before ordering the repoll.

Meanwhile, a decision on whether repolling is required in the Falta assembly constituency is expected later, based on similar complaints.

The counting of votes for the West Bengal Assembly elections is scheduled for May 4 .