The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered repolling at 15 polling stations across two Assembly constituencies in West Bengal [1].
The order follows allegations of vote-tampering and electoral malpractices during the initial voting phase. Because the ECI declared the original results void under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the integrity of the local vote depends on these corrective measures [1, 2].
The repolling is scheduled for May 2, 2024 [1]. The affected areas are located within the South 24 Parganas district, specifically in the Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour constituencies [1, 2]. Of the total booths ordered for a fresh vote, 11 are located in Magrahat Paschim [5].
"The Election Commission has ordered fresh polling on May 2 at the 15 booths in Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour," an Election Commission of India spokesperson said [2].
The original polling for these areas took place on April 29, 2024 [3]. However, the decision to limit the repoll to 15 stations has drawn criticism from political opponents. Suvendu Adhikari, a leader with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said that the scope of the voided votes was larger than the commission's finding [6].
"We should have repolling in at least 60 booths," Adhikari said [6].
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) also addressed the situation, though she focused on broader political tensions. She said that the BJP was attempting to use the commission to interfere with her own political standing [7].
"The BJP, with support from the Election Commission, tried to cancel my candidature," Banerjee said [7].
The ECI maintains that the 15 booths in the two constituencies [1] are the only locations where the voting process was sufficiently compromised to warrant a full reset under the law.
“"The Election Commission has ordered fresh polling on May 2 at the 15 booths in Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour."”
The decision to void votes at specific booths highlights the ongoing volatility of elections in West Bengal, where accusations of booth capturing and tampering are frequent. By invoking the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the ECI is attempting to maintain institutional credibility, though the gap between the commission's 15-booth order and the BJP's demand for 60 suggests a deep lack of trust between the ruling party and the electoral regulator.
