KOLKATA: In an extraordinary move, the Election Commission (EC) late on Saturday ordered ‘fresh’ repolling in all 285 polling stations of the Falta assembly seat in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district on May 21 due to “subversion of democratic process” and “severe electoral offences”. Re-election in an entire assembly seat has not been ordered in the recent past.
The fresh poll will take place on Thursday, May 21 and the counting of votes will happen on Sunday, May 24.
The Commission invoked its constitutional powers under Article 324 to annul the earlier polling on April 29, citing serious irregularities that compromised the integrity of the electoral process in a large number of booths.
Earlier in the day, Falta was in the thick of things as it recorded tense moments leading to protests from a large section of voters who staged a protest for over seven hours, alleging they were receiving life threats from TMC workers in the area.
Considering the situation in Falta, the ECI directed registering of FIRs against Israfil Chowkidar, gram panchayat pradhan at Hasimnagar and an associate of Jahangir Khan, Trinamool candidate from Falta, and another TMC worker Sujauddin Sheikh, to restore confidence among voters. Jahangir is a close lieutenant of Abhishek Banerjee, TMC national general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP.
The protesters, many of them women and holding BJP flags, blocked the road in Hasimnagar village. “TMC’s Israfil Chowkidar has threatened us that if these people win, they will burn our houses and indulge in bloodshed,” they claimed.
The CRPF deputy commandant assured the demonstrators of ensuring their safety. Khan dismissed the allegations and said the women were “deployed” by the BJP. “If the charges are proved, I am ready to face the law,” he said.
On Friday, the EC had ordered re-election in 15 polling stations of two Assembly seats in West Bengal — Diamond Harbour and Magarhat Paschim.
RE-POLL: 87% VOTER TURNOUT
Repolling in 15 booths of two assembly constituencies in Bengal’s South 24-Parganas district concluded at 6 pm on Saturday, with around 87 per cent turnout recorded an hour before the close of voting, an official said. A voter turnout of 86.90 per cent was recorded till 5 pm, with the figure from one booth still awaited, he said.
MAMATA BULLISH OF GOOD SHOW
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday told counting agents of the party that it will secure over 200 of the 294 assembly seats. The agents were asked to apprise them about the situation at all counting centres.