Fresh repolling began in the Falta Assembly constituency of South 24 Parganas on May 21, 2024, following orders from the Election Commission of India [1].
The move comes after officials detected large-scale tampering of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and other serious irregularities during Phase 2 voting. The integrity of the local electoral process is at stake, as the commission sought to rectify systemic failures before certifying a winner.
The Election Commission identified tampering in approximately 60 polling stations [2], which represents about 21% of the total booths [3]. While some reports indicate the repoll covers all 285 polling stations in the constituency [4], other data specifies that voting took place at 15 booths [5]. Of those 15, 11 were located in Magrahat Paschim, and four were in Diamond Harbour [6].
Voting began at 7 a.m. and concluded at 6 p.m. [7]. To prevent further disruptions, security arrangements were nearly doubled [8]. The process occurs amid high political tension, involving opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari (BJP-West Bengal) and the withdrawal of the Trinamool Congress candidate, Jahangir Khan [1].
The results of the repoll are slated for declaration on May 24, 2024 [9]. The Election Commission's decision to nullify the previous results in the affected areas highlights the severity of the irregularities found in the electronic systems.
Local officials maintained a tight security cover throughout the day to ensure voters could reach the booths without interference. The scale of the tampering, affecting one in five booths, prompted the commission to intervene to maintain public trust in the voting machinery [3].
“The Election Commission identified tampering in approximately 60 polling stations”
The decision to order a repoll due to EVM tampering in over 20% of a constituency's booths is a rare and significant admission of technical or systemic failure. It underscores the ongoing tension between political parties in West Bengal regarding the reliability of electronic voting and the necessity of heavy security to ensure a fair democratic process.
