Election Commission Orders Repolling In 15 West Bengal Booths Over Polling Irregularities

The Election Commission ordered a repoll at 15 polling stations in Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour after allegations of irregularities, including alleged EVM tampering. The move aims to protect fairness, with potential further repolling under consideration as investigations continue, while turnout remained high in the broader state's polls.

The Election Commission has cancelled voting in 15 polling stations in South 24 Parganas and ordered a fresh poll. The affected booths lie in Diamond Harbour and Magrahat Paschim Assembly segments. The repoll will be conducted on May 2, with voting scheduled between 7 am and 6 pm at these locations.

According to officials, 11 of the affected polling stations are in Magrahat Paschim and four are in Diamond Harbour. The earlier voting exercise at these booths took place on April 29, during the second and final phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections.

Election Commission repolling order in West Bengal

The Election Commission decision follows complaints from voters and political parties about alleged irregularities during polling. Several reports from Diamond Harbour and nearby Falta mentioned EVM tampering, booth jamming and rigging. These allegations prompted a detailed review by election authorities, which resulted in the polls at 15 booths being declared void.

BJP leaders claimed that EVM buttons linked to BJP candidates had been covered with tape in parts of Falta. The constituency falls under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat, known as a stronghold of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The BJP said this interference blocked voters from choosing its nominees at certain polling stations.

Election Commission repolling and EVM tampering rules in West Bengal

Sources indicated that 30 additional booths in the Falta Assembly constituency could also face repolling. A final decision from the Election Commission on those stations is still awaited. Officials are examining reports from returning officers and observers before deciding if the polling at those locations must also be annulled.

The Election Commission invoked Section 58(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 while scrapping the earlier vote. This section permits the poll body to declare polling void and order a re-vote. It applies if serious problems such as EVM malfunction, booth capturing, violence or major procedural lapses affect fairness.

The second phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls on April 29 had already drawn intense political dispute. The BJP alleged that tape was deliberately placed over buttons corresponding to its candidates on several EVMs. Party functionaries argued that such acts hid candidate names and restricted voters’ choices in multiple booths.

Election Commission repolling decision and turnout in West Bengal

Tensions rose in Falta, where Jahangir Khan, an associate of Abhishek Banerjee, is contesting the Assembly seat. BJP leaders circulated videos that appeared to show tape placed near the names of BJP and CPM candidates on EVM panels. These clips sparked concern about possible interference with the voting process in that area.

During the controversy, West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal said that fresh polling would be ordered wherever violations were proven. Agarwal stressed the Election Commission’s policy of "zero tolerance" towards electoral malpractice. Agarwal noted that action would follow after studying reports from district election officials and independent observers.

Agarwal later stated that initial inquiries did not show mishandling of EVMs by polling staff during preparation or mock polling. The findings suggested any unauthorised interference may have occurred while voting was underway. Under Election Commission rules, placing tape, ink, perfume or similar substances on EVM buttons is treated as a serious offence.

Despite the disputes, voter participation remained very high across the West Bengal Assembly polls. Combined turnout in the first two phases reached 92.47 per cent, the highest since Independence. Phase I on April 23 recorded 93.19 per cent turnout, while Phase II, which included Falta and Diamond Harbour, saw 92.67 per cent.