West Bengal CEO submits election notification to Governor; BJP set to stake claim after victory

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 6 : West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Wednesday submitted the Gazette Notification of the recently concluded Assembly election results to Governor RN Ravi, paving the way for government formation in the state.

Following the submission, the Governor is expected to invite the party with a majority to form the government.

"We have submitted the Election Commission's notification to the Governor. Repolling will be held in Falta, and we have provided the Governor with the list of winners for the other 293 seats. They will now form the new assembly," Agarwal told reporters.

He declined to comment on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's reported refusal to resign, saying, "That has nothing to do with the ECI. This is a matter between the Chief Minister, the Governor, and the President of India. We have no role in it, and we will not comment on it."

The development comes a day after Agarwal issued a detailed rebuttal to allegations raised by Banerjee over the integrity of the election process, including claims of manipulation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

Responding to the allegations, he said, "We cannot answer if there is nothing specific. What were these machines? What tables were these on? What Assembly seat was it? How can we answer if these specifications are not clear?"

On the Chief Minister's claim of being physically manhandled at a counting centre, Agarwal said internal reports and surveillance footage do not support the allegation.

"CCTV camera was never off. I also spoke with the DEO; nobody was beaten up. Such things never happen with any candidate. If at all it happens, a complaint is filed and FIR is lodged. Neither a complaint was received nor was an FIR lodged. Nothing like that happened," he said.

According to the results declared on Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party secured 207 seats, while the Trinamool Congress won 80 seats after 15 years in power.

The BJP is now preparing for the swearing-in ceremony of its first government in West Bengal.

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