The Election Commission of India ordered a repoll in all 15 booths [1] of the Falta assembly constituency in West Bengal on May 21, 2026.
This rare move follows allegations of electoral fraud and violence, highlighting the volatile nature of the 2026 West Bengal elections. The decision ensures that the final result for the seat is not compromised by technical tampering or voter intimidation.
The repoll was triggered after Suvendu Adhikari, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), raised concerns regarding the integrity of the voting process. Adhikari said electronic voting machines (EVMs) had been tampered with to prevent voters from selecting the BJP candidate.
"We have informed Amit Shah about alleged tampering with EVMs in Falta; the BJP button was taped over," Adhikari said [2].
Beyond the technical allegations, the BJP reported incidents of violence following the initial voting period. The State Election Commissioner said the commission would investigate the matter and consider a repoll if necessary [2].
The repolling across the 15 booths saw a turnout of 86.90 percent [1]. This figure is slightly lower than the overall participation rate for the West Bengal 2026 election, which was around 92 percent [1].
Counting for the Falta seat is scheduled for May 24, 2026 [1]. This specific result is one of the final pieces of the electoral puzzle, as 293 out of 294 seats remain to be declared after counting [3].
“The Election Commission of India ordered a repoll in all 15 booths of the Falta assembly constituency.”
The order for a full-constituency repoll in Falta underscores the deep distrust between major political parties and the electoral machinery in West Bengal. By addressing allegations of physical tampering with EVMs, the Election Commission is attempting to maintain the legitimacy of the 2026 results, though the incident reinforces the perception of the region as a high-conflict electoral zone.
