Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 1 : Following the Election Commission of India's announcement of repolling in 15 polling stations across two constituencies, a delegation of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), including leaders Firhad Hakim, Asim Bose and Shashi Panja, on Friday arrived at the office of the State Election Commission in Kolkata.
Reacting to the re-polling, West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari said that he welcomed the decision and respects the EC.
Talking to reporters, Adhikari said, "Whatever happened at Magrahat West is welcomed. The re-polling should have happened in more booths in Diamond Harbour and in the whole of the Falta segment... There is a system and procedure which is being followed... We respect the Election Commission..."
Earlier today, the ECI on Friday said that repolling will be held in 15 polling stations in West Bengal, where voting was held on April 29 in the second phase of the Assembly elections.
The repolling will be held on 11 booths of Magrahat Paschim Assembly constituency and 4 booths of Diamond Harbour Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas on May 2, the EC said.
In a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, the EC said the repolling has been ordered based on inputs received from the state poll machinery, and voting will be held from 7 am to 6 pm.
The repolling comes after BJP's co-incharge of West Bengal, Amit Malviya, alleged that voters were prevented from choosing the party candidate at several polling booths in Falta under the Diamond Harbour constituency during phase two of the Assembly elections in the State.
He claimed that in multiple booths, the BJP option was allegedly blocked using tape, calling it the "Diamond Harbour Model" and demanding a repoll in the affected areas.
In a post on X, Malviya wrote, "This is what Mamata Banerjee was defending when she spoke up for Jehangir Khan, a criminal contesting on a TMC ticket from Falta in Diamond Harbour. In several polling booths, the option to vote for the BJP has been blocked using a tape, effectively preventing voters from exercising their choice. This is the so-called 'Diamond Harbour Model,' the same template that helped Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee secure his Lok Sabha seat."
On the day of polling, West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal said that the polling booths with taping of any EVM button will undergo repolling, after the BJP alleged irregularities in Falta under the Diamond Harbour constituency.
"If reports of taping of any button come in, that should be verified and noted. If true, those booths will go for a repoll," West Bengal CEO said.
The final phase of polling for the high-octane West Bengal assembly elections concluded at 6 PM on April 29, with voter turnout hitting remarkable numbers at 90% before the closing hour. Security arrangements are in place at strong rooms in Howrah ahead of the counting of votes on May 4.
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