West Bengal Elections: EC Mandates Fresh Polls, 15 Booths in Diamond Harbour & Magrahat Paschim To Vote Again on May 2

The Election Commission of India on Friday announced repolling in 15 seats in the Diamond Harbour and Magrahat Paschim constituency on Saturday. All of these polling booths come under the South Paraganas district. The voting will happen between 7 am to 6 pm.

The repolling on these seats came after the BJP alleged that the button on the EVM machines were found blocked with tape in Falta seat, which is a part of the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency having a strong hold of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee
 

#BreakingNews | The Election Commission has announced re-polling on 15 polling stations in Bengal tomorrow amid the intensifying clashes between BJP and TMC in the state

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EC Launched Probe

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched a formal probe following the discovery of missing webcasting footage in the Falta Assembly constituency. The discrepancy surfaced during routine scrutiny at a booth where "button taping" allegations were initially reported. To determine if this digital blackout was intentional or a technical failure, the ECI has demanded a detailed report from network service providers.

The integrity of the electoral process in the South 24 Parganas district is now under intense scrutiny. Based on findings from local Returning Officers, the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office has already submitted formal recommendations to the ECI for re-polling at 15 stations:

• Magrahat West: 11 booths.
• Diamond Harbour: 4 booths.

However, the scale of fresh voting could increase significantly. If the investigation into the missing footage confirms widespread tampering or procedural lapses, authorities indicate that over 30 additional booths in Falta alone may face re-polling.

The ECI maintains that a final decision will only be reached after a comprehensive review of ground verification reports. All eyes are now on the commission to see how it addresses these technical lapses and ensures a transparent electoral outcome.

Election Officials Review Tampering Claims Amid Record Turnout

Chief Electoral Officer Agarwal noted that any official decision regarding re-polling hinges on a thorough evaluation of reports from district officers and observers. While allegations of EVM tampering have been raised, preliminary checks indicate that polling staff handled the machines correctly during pre-poll preparations and mock trials. This suggests that if any interference occurred, it likely took place during active voting hours.

Strict Guidelines on Machine Integrity

Under standing Election Commission (EC) protocols, any attempt to alter the physical state of a voting machine is a criminal offense. Prohibited actions include:

• Applying substances such as tape, ink, or glue to the buttons.
• Using liquids like perfume on the equipment.
• Physical obstruction of the voting interface.
• Such activities are classified as serious interference with the democratic process and are subject to legal prosecution.

Unprecedented Voter Participation

West Bengal has seen a historic surge in civic engagement, with the combined turnout for the first two phases reaching 92.47%—the highest recorded since Independence.

The momentum began on April 23 during Phase I, which saw a peak participation rate of 93.19%. This was followed closely by Phase II, which maintained the high trend with a 92.67% turnout. This massive mobilization highlights an intense level of voter activity across the state despite the ongoing investigations into machine security.