The Election Commission of India ordered repolling at 15 polling booths in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Saturday [1].
This move follows allegations of electoral irregularities and Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) tampering, which could impact the final results in two key assembly constituencies.
Repolling is concentrated in two areas: 11 booths in the Magrahat Paschim constituency and four booths in the Diamond Harbour constituency [2]. The poll body said the order for the repoll was issued on Friday after the commission considered reports submitted by returning officers and observers of the two constituencies [3].
Voting at these 15 stations began at 7 a.m. and is scheduled to end at 6 p.m. [4]. Early data indicated a turnout of 16.23% during the first two hours of the process [1]. By 11 a.m., recorded turnout had risen to over 37% [5].
The repolling process has not been without disruption. Reports indicated that an EVM malfunction halted voting at a Diamond Harbour booth, while a protest erupted in Falta [6].
The commission's decision to void the previous votes at these specific locations stems from claims of malfunctions and tampering. These irregularities were flagged by officials monitoring the initial voting process, leading to the mandate for a fresh vote to ensure the integrity of the local election [3].
“Voting in all 15 polling stations will start at 7 a.m. and end at 6 p.m.”
The decision to order repolling in specific booths highlights the ongoing tension surrounding EVM reliability and administrative oversight in West Bengal's electoral process. While 15 booths represent a small fraction of the overall vote, the reported malfunctions and subsequent protests in areas like Falta underscore the volatility of the regional political climate and the high stakes for the competing parties in South 24 Parganas.
