West Bengal Elections: Repolling Initiated Amid Allegations of Malpractices

Voting has commenced in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district at 15 polling stations due to a repolling order from the Election Commission. This decision follows allegations of electoral malpractices reported during the previous elections held on April 29. The situation remains peaceful with adequate security measures in place. Key candidates from TMC, BJP, and Congress are competing in this crucial electoral phase. Stay tuned for updates on the ongoing voting process and the Election Commission's decisions regarding other constituencies.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 2, 2026, 09:47 IST

Repolling in South 24 Parganas District

Voting is currently taking place at 15 polling stations across two assembly constituencies in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. This repolling was mandated by the Election Commission just a day prior due to reports of electoral misconduct, according to an official statement.

The repolling affects 11 booths in the Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency and four in Diamond Harbour.

Polls commenced at 7 AM and will remain open until 6 PM, as confirmed by the official.

The initial hour of voting has been reported as peaceful, with no incidents of violence or disturbances. The presence of central forces in both constituencies is substantial, and webcasting is being utilized to monitor the electoral process, the Election Commission representative stated.

These two constituencies previously held elections during the second phase of the state elections on April 29.

The decision for repolling was influenced by reports from returning officers and observers, alongside 'material circumstances' noted by the Election Commission official.

In the Magrahat Paschim constituency, TMC's Md Samim Ahamed Molla is competing against BJP's Goursundar Ghosh, with Congress's Abdul Majid Halder and ISF's Abdul Aziz Al Hassan also in the race.

For the Diamond Harbour seat, TMC candidate Panna Lal Halder faces off against BJP's Dipak Kumar Halder, with Goutam Bhattacharya from Congress and CPI(M)'s Samar Naiya among the other contenders.

The BJP has raised concerns about widespread electoral malpractices in specific polling stations within both assembly seats, which fall under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, represented by TMC's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

To investigate these claims, the Election Commission has appointed special observer Subrata Gupta to verify the allegations on-site.

Additionally, the Election Commission is set to make a decision regarding repolling in the Falta assembly constituency today.

The West Bengal assembly elections were conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29, accompanied by extensive security measures.