Fresh voting ordered in Falta constituency due to alleged malpractice; Nearly 87% turnout reported in recent repolls.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has mandated a full repoll across all 285 polling stations in Falta constituency, West Bengal, on May 21, citing allegations that significant electoral malpractice has undermined the integrity of the voting process. A previous report indicated more than 87% voter turnout during the recent repolls.

The decision follows numerous complaints of widespread booth-capturing and intricacies involving tampered voting machines, including instances where black tape and perfume were reportedly applied to ballot units, compromising their functionality. Observers noted that “sufficient grounds” were present to consider the conduct of elections at several polling stations vitiated.

“There were reports of forceful takeover of polling stations where genuine voters were prevented from voting or coerced through threats,” according to an official. This led the EC to declare irregularities significant enough to necessitate a complete repoll due to an “extensive impact” on the electoral process.

Concerns were raised regarding the quality of surveillance during elections, with recorded video feeds showing long gaps or, in some cases, documenting unrelated footage, raising alarms about the overall reliability of the polling stations' integrity.

The legal implications of the reported irregularities, including loss of electronic voting machine (EVM) integrity, compelled the EC to act decisively after recognizing that the scale of issues met a threshold that justified countermanding the results of the initial election.

The Election Commission of India has ordered fresh voting at all 285 polling stations in Falta constituency due to alleged electoral malpractice, including booth-capturing and tampering with voting machines, resulting in a reported voter turnout of nearly 87% during recent repolls held amid extensive irregularities.