EC Mandates Fresh Voting in South 24 Parganas District
The Election Commission has ordered a fresh round of voting in 15 polling stations across two Assembly constituencies in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Saturday, May 2nd. This decision comes after reports of electoral malpractices surfaced concerning the April 29th second phase of the State Assembly elections. The affected areas are Magrahat Paschim, where 11 stations will see a repoll, and Diamond Harbour, with four stations slated for fresh polling. Voting is scheduled to take place between 7 am and 6 pm.
This marks the first instance of a repoll being ordered in the current multi-state Assembly elections, which also include West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry. The Commission's directive was based on a review of reports from returning officers and observers, alongside what it termed "material circumstances" necessitating a new vote.
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Details of the Repolling and Broader Context
The repolling order specifically targets booths within the Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour Assembly seats. This action follows complaints, including those alleging EVM tampering. The second phase of polling in West Bengal on April 29th saw a turnout of 92.67 percent.
"The decision was based on reports from returning officers and observers, along with 'material circumstances' that warranted fresh polling."
The Election Commission is reportedly still reviewing allegations concerning polling stations in the Falta constituency, where a significant number of complaints were also received. No repolling was recommended for the first phase of the West Bengal polls, which concluded on April 23rd. The first phase covered 152 seats, while the second phase involved 142 constituencies.
Background
The decision to hold repolling stems from various inputs received by the Election Commission. The state poll machinery provided reports, which were then reviewed by the Commission. Special Observer Subrata Gupta was reportedly deputed to investigate the allegations on the ground. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made allegations of electoral malpractices in areas under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, the Commission's statement emphasizes a review of inputs and circumstances. The overall turnout for the first phase was 93.19 percent.
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