Repolling is underway in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district after the Election Commission ordered fresh polls in 15 booths due to reported electoral malpractices during the previous phase of the assembly elections.
Key Points
- Voting was underway more or less peacefully at 11 polling stations of Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency and four in Diamond Harbour.
- Polling has remained peaceful with no incidents of violence, under tight security and webcasting surveillance.
- The Election Commission ordered the repoll based on reports of electoral irregularities from officials and observers.
- Central forces deployed and proceedings are being closely monitored, with a final decision on Falta constituency repoll pending.
Repolling in 15 booths of two assembly constituencies in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district concluded at 6 pm on Saturday, with around 87 percent turnout recorded an hour before the close of voting, an official said.
A voter turnout of 86.90 per cent was recorded till 5 pm, with the figure from one booth still awaited, he said. Voting began at 7 am and continued till 6 pm.
Polling was more or less peaceful at 11 polling booths of Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency and four in Diamond Harbour. The Election Commission had ordered a repoll on Friday, following reports of electoral malpractices.
However, in booth number 179 at Chanda Primary School of the Diamond Harbour seat, the Trinamool Congress alleged that a specially abled voter and his mother were harassed by central forces. The incident sparked protests by party workers and locals.
The TMC claimed that the voter's mother, who had entered the booth to assist him, and her son were detained for a considerable time by central forces over alleged rule violations.
"TMC leaders Manmohini Biswas and Pratik Ur Rahman reached the spot and led the protests. The matter was taken care of by our officers there," an official of the poll body said.
Polling was otherwise peaceful across 15 booths, he said.
The Commission said that every person standing in queue before the close of polling hours would be permitted to vote.
Magrahat Paschim registered 86.11 percent voter turnout, while in Diamond Harbour, the figure was 87.60 percent, the official said.
Voting in these two assembly constituencies was held in the second phase of the assembly elections on April 29.
The repoll order was based on reports received from returning officers and observers of the two constituencies and "material circumstances", he said.
In Magrahat Paschim, TMC's Md Samim Ahamed Molla is pitted against BJP nominee Goursundar Ghosh, while Abdul Majid Halder of the Congress and ISF candidate Abdul Aziz Al Hassan are also in the fray.
TMC candidate Panna Lal Halder is contesting against Dipak Kumar Halder of the BJP in the Diamond Harbour seat. Goutam Bhattacharya of the Congress and CPI(M)'s Samar Naiya are among other candidates.
The BJP had alleged rampant electoral malpractices in certain polling stations of both the assembly seats under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, which is represented by TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
The EC had deputed its special observer, Subrata Gupta, to fact-check the allegations from the ground.
The poll panel will decide on repolling in the Falta assembly constituency on Saturday.
The West Bengal assembly elections were held in two phases -- April 23 and April 29 -- amid unprecedented security arrangements.
Counting of votes will take place on May 4.
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