Falta repolling: Voting begins in West Bengal’s high-stakes seat amid tight security | India News
New Delhi: Re-polling began in West Bengal’s Phalta Assembly constituency amid tight security on Thursday, as the South 24 Parganas district seat emerged as a political flashpoint between the ruling BJP and the ousted TMC.Fallata, which falls within Abhishek Banerjee’s base of Diamond Harbour, reflected the intense on-ground political heat during the West Bengal assembly elections. Apart from finding authorities for attempting to tamper with footage captured by web cameras installed at multiple polling stations, allegations of EVM tampering were found at Falta booths, eventually prompting the Election Commission to order a re-poll.Questions were subsequently raised about the role of booth-level officers (BLOs), presiding officers, polling staff and election observers.The TMC has held the Phalta seat since 2001, when the CPI(M) won the seat in 2006.Also read: ‘CM Adhikari promised…’: Jahangir Khan pulls out of re-election; TMC says ‘yielding to pressure’Over 2.36 lakh voters, including 1.15 lakh women and nine third gender voters, are eligible to cast their votes at 285 booths. Voting starts at 7 am.The Election Commission ordered a re-poll citing “serious electoral crimes and subversion of the democratic process” during the April 29 polls in the second phase of the assembly elections.Six candidates are in the fray, including TMC nominee Jahangir Khan, who announced on Tuesday that he was withdrawing from the contest. However, his name remained in the EVM as the deadline for formal withdrawal of candidature had passed.Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Subvendu Adhikari took direct aim at Jahangir, who compared himself to the smuggler-turned-strongman in Pushpa: The Rise.Addressing a rally in Diamond Harbour, Adhikari said, “Where is that flower — the dacoit? He is nowhere to be seen now. The National Human Rights Commission has declared 19 people as notorious criminals in 2021. Jahangir is one of them. Leave him to me. I will look after him.”Also read: Trinamool’s Jahangir Khan has dropped out of the by-election fray but his name will remain in the EVMs; here’s whyAhead of the rally, the police arrested Jahangir’s close aide and Trinamool vice-president Saidul Khan on multiple charges, including death threats.Other candidates include BJP’s Debanshu Panda, CPI(M)’s Sambhu Nath Kurmi and Congress candidate Abdur Razzaq Mollah.A total of 35 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) have been deployed for re-polling, with eight personnel equivalent to a full division deployed in each booth, officials said.During polling on April 29, only four workers or half were deployed in each booth.Additionally, 30 Quick Response Teams (QRTs) have been kept on standby to respond to any disturbance.Political tension in the constituency has been high since several booths alleged that perfumes and adhesive tapes were applied to EVMs during the previous polls.Former Election Commission Special Observer Subrata Gupta visited the constituencies and conducted a scrutinisation, after which evidence of alleged rigging was reportedly found in at least 60 booths.In the 2026 assembly elections, the BJP won 207 seats, ending the TMC’s 15-year rule in the state. However, TMC managed to win only 80 seats.
