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EC orders fresh polls at all 285 booths in Bengal’s Falta constituency
Fresh elections will be held in Falta Assembly Constituency on May 21, 2026. The Election Commission of India ordered the new polling across all 285 stations. This decision follows severe electoral offenses and subversion of the democratic process during the April 29, 2026 polls. Vote counting is scheduled for May 24, 2026.
Kolkata: Election Commission of India (ECI) directed on Saturday that fresh polls will be conducted in all the 285 polling stations, including Auxiliary polling stations, in Falta Assembly Constituency in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on May 21. The counting will be on May 24.
“On consideration of severe electoral offences and subversion of democratic process during the polling in a large number of polling stations on 29th April 2026 in 144-Falta Assembly Constituency, West Bengal,” ECI said that polling will be conducted in all 285 polling stations on May 21.
“Fresh polls in all polling stations will be conducted between 7 AM to 6 PM on 21st May 2026 and the counting of votes will take place on 24th May 2026, ECI said.
Special Observer Subrata Gupta and District Election Officer observed in their report that “there were sufficient grounds to conclude that the poll process in several Polling Stations of 144-Falta Assembly Constituency was vitiated due to alleged application of black tape/perfume on Ballot Unit buttons.”
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According to their observations, “Written notice of scrutiny, as required under ECI instructions, could not be shown to have been duly served upon the candidates.”
“The RO and General Observer conducted scrutiny in the absence of a candidate who had raised several complaints, resulting in non-consideration of those complaints.”
“The Scrutiny was conducted mechanically and hurriedly by relying mainly on official records without proper examination of video footage. Examination of available footage revealed serious procedural violations attracting Section 58(b) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.”
Their observations also pointed out that “despite several complaints received during polling on 29 April, detailed examination of events in the affected Polling Stations was not undertaken.”
“ECINet poll percentage data showed that a substantial percentage of votes had already been cast before complaints were acted upon, indicating compromise of poll integrity. The 60 affected Polling Stations involved 53,967 electors,” they observed.
“Considering the history of violence and intimidation and the partial/non-availability of footage, there appeared to be deliberate interference with the poll process,” they observed in the report.
ECI Special Observer Subrata Gupta and DEO in their report noted “deliberate masking and obstruction of the polling button of the candidate in EVM through Black Masking Tapes clearly constitutes tampering and procedural irregularity that vitiates the poll.”
According to the report submitted by the Special Observer and DEO, “it has been explicitly mentioned that the Polling Button on the Ballot Units of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were found masked with Black Masking Tapes. As a result of this, it was not possible for the electors to cast vote in favour of the candidate of his choice.”
“While remedial steps were taken upon receipt of complaints, a substantial percentage of polling had already taken place by then as 17.14% votes had been cast by 9 am; 38.33% by 11 am; 58.04% by 1 pm; 74.86% by 3 pm and 86.71% by 5 pm. The Complaints were received between 01:15 PM to 04:10 PM and Action Taken Reports were sent at various periods after that,” ECI stated.
According to the report, ECI stated, that “Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in as many as 60 polling stations were found to have been tampered with in the above noted manner. These 60 Polling Stations amounted to 21% of the total number of Polling Stations in the Constituency.”
ECI said that “The Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal vide his letter dated 01.05.2026 considered that report of the State General Observer, and District Election Officer and agreed with their findings. He further recommended countermanding of election in Falta Assembly Constituency under Section 58A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The Commission has taken into account the entirety of facts, reports, complaints and material available on record and has come to the conclusion that the poll conducted on 29th day of April 2026 from 144-Falta Assembly Constituency, West Bengal, has been seriously vitiated.”
According to ECI statement, “Section 58A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, lays down the procedure for adjournment or countermanding of elections in cases of booth capturing. Section 58A mandates that where booth capturing has taken place at one or more polling stations in such a manner that the result of the poll cannot be ascertained, the Election Commission may declare a re-poll for the affected polling stations or, in cases involving a large number of polling stations, countermand the election in the entire constituency.”
“The large-scale tampering of EVMs and unlawful interference with the polling process as mentioned above, therefore, warrant immediate invocation of Sections 58 and 58A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 by the Election Commission.”
The Commission “in exercise of its plenary powers of superintendence, direction and control of elections vested in it by Article 324 of the Constitution of India read with powers conferred under Sections 20B, 58 and 58A of the Representation of the People-Act, 1951, and all other powers enabling it in this behalf,” declared “the poll held on 29.04.2026 in all polling stations of 144-Falta Assembly Constituency. West Bengal to be void.”
It also directed a fresh poll shall be conducted in all polling stations of 144-Falta Assembly Constituency on May 21.Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
Source: EconomicTimes
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