The Election Commission of India ordered a repoll in 15 booths in West Bengal on May 2, 2026, after declaring previous voting void [1].

The decision follows reports of irregularities in the South 24 Parganas district. Because these booths are located in contested constituencies, the move aims to ensure the integrity of the assembly election results amid tension between political parties.

The repoll affects 11 booths in the Magrahat Paschim Assembly constituency and four booths in Diamond Harbour [1, 2]. Voting in these locations is scheduled to take place between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. [2].

Commission officials said the April 29 voting in these specific booths was void due to alleged tampering and irregularities [1, 2]. The irregularities included visual evidence of tape on electronic voting machines (EVMs), technical glitches in the machines, and failures of the webcast systems used to monitor the process [3].

Despite the order for a new vote, some officials have downplayed the severity of the incidents. Manoj Agarwal, the Chief Electoral Officer for West Bengal, said, "No formal complaint has been filed and there has been no breach in security" [1].

The Election Commission's intervention comes as the BJP and TMC continue to clash over the conduct of the polls. The voiding of these votes represents a corrective measure to address technical and security lapses that could potentially skew local outcomes, a necessity for maintaining public trust in the electronic system.

“The Election Commission ordered a repoll in 15 booths across South 24 Parganas”

The order for a repoll highlights the ongoing volatility of West Bengal's electoral landscape and the sensitivity of electronic voting integrity. By voiding votes due to physical tampering evidence and technical failures, the Election Commission is attempting to preempt legal challenges and accusations of fraud that often follow closely contested assembly elections in the region.