West Bengal Police arrests former TMC MLA Jahangir Khan after Calcutta High Court denies interim protection; Khan was at the center of controversy in Falta constituency due to alleged irregularities during assembly elections.
BJP candidate Debangshu Panda wins Falta assembly constituency repoll in West Bengal with over 1 lakh more votes than closest rival
Debangshu Panda of BJP won the Falta Assembly seat in West Bengal by 1,09,021 votes after a repoll ordered due to electoral irregularities. Heavy security was deployed for the counting.
Falta, Bengal recorded 87.9% turnout in a repoll after TMC candidate withdrew. Voters cited fear-free polling due to heavy CAPF presence, contrasting with previous malpractice allegations. Counting is on Sunday.
TMC's Falta candidate Jahangir Khan announced he will not contest the May 21 repoll, citing development and peace. His withdrawal comes after widespread electoral malpractice reports and a spat with an observer. His name will remain on EVMs.
TMC candidate Jahangir Khan withdrew his candidature for the Falta repoll, citing West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari's development package. TMC stated it was a personal decision, alleging BJP pressure on their workers, while Adhikari claimed Khan withdrew due to lack of polling agents.
West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya sarcastically invited TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee to campaign in Falta ahead of the May 21 repoll, claiming the TMC has been 'sent into exile' by the people. Bhattacharya mocked the TMC's electoral setback and alleged their leadership had disappeared from public view.
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari warned TMC's Jahangir Khan, who called himself 'Pushpa', ahead of the May 21 repoll in Falta. The repoll was ordered due to EVM tampering. Counting is on May 24.
The Election Commission of India has ordered a complete repoll in West Bengal's Falta Assembly constituency, declaring the April 29 election 'seriously vitiated' due to widespread EVM tampering. At least 60 polling stations (21% of booths) had ballot buttons masked with black tape or substances like perfume, affecting over 53,000 electors. Fresh polling will take place on May 21.
The Election Commission of India has ordered a complete repoll in West Bengal's Falta assembly constituency, scrapping voting from April 29 after reports of voter intimidation, unauthorized presence in polling booths, and alleged EVM tampering. All 285 stations in the South 24 Parganas seat will vote again on May 21 under heightened security, with counting on May 24. BJP claimed its symbol was partially covered on voting machines at several booths, while Trinamool's Abhishek Banerjee dismissed the allegations and dared opposition to contest the seat.
The Election Commission has ordered a repoll in West Bengal's Falta assembly constituency on May 21 after finding severe electoral offences during April 29 voting. EVM buttons were defaced with black masking tape at 60 of 285 polling stations (21%), affecting 53,967 voters. TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee challenged the BJP to contest from Falta, calling them the "Bangla Birodhi Gujarati gang". This is the first time in Bengal a full assembly constituency will go to polls after declaration of results. Tension also flared in Hasimnagar locality where villagers alleged threats from TMC candidate's associates, leading to EC ordering arrests of two aides.
The Election Commission has ordered a repoll in West Bengal's Falta assembly constituency on May 21 after discovering severe electoral offences during April 29 voting, with 60 of 285 polling stations (21%) affected by defaced EVM buttons affecting 53,967 voters. TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee challenged the BJP to contest in Falta, while two aides of TMC candidate Jahangir Khan have been arrested following allegations of voter intimidation in Hasimnagar locality.
The Election Commission has cancelled the April 29 polling in the Falta constituency of West Bengal due to widespread EVM tampering. A repoll is set for May 21, with results to be counted on May 24, marking a rare instance of a full constituency repoll in the state.
The Election Commission has ordered a fresh poll in all 285 polling stations of Falta assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, citing severe electoral offences and subversion of democratic process. The repoll will be held on May 21 with counting on May 24. The BJP had alleged that party symbols on EVMs were taped over at several booths, preventing voters from selecting the BJP option. The move comes amid heightened political tensions between BJP and TMC, with CM Mamata Banerjee predicting a TMC victory with over 200 seats.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee claims the Trinamool Congress will win over 200 seats in the assembly elections, dismissing exit polls as stock market manipulation. She also criticized the Central Armed Police Forces for alleged brutality against her party workers.
The Election Commission has ordered repolling in 15 polling stations across Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour constituencies in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, following the second phase of Assembly elections on April 29. The repolling will take place on May 2 between 7 am and 6 pm. The decision follows allegations of irregularities, particularly in Diamond Harbour's Falta segment, where the BJP alleged EVM buttons were covered with tape to prevent voters from selecting their party. Counting is scheduled for May 4.
The Election Commission has ordered repolling in 15 booths across two assembly constituencies in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, following reports of irregularities during the second phase of Bengal polls. Eleven booths in Magrahat West and four in Diamond Harbour will see repolling on Saturday after allegations that CCTV cameras were switched off and EVMs were tampered with using tape to cover party symbols. Special observer Subrata Gupta recommended the repolling after scrutiny revealed disturbing findings, including network disruptions preventing real-time monitoring.
The Election Commission of India has ordered a repoll on May 2 at 15 polling stations in South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal. Eleven stations in Magrahat Paschim and four in Diamond Harbour will see revoting following complaints of alleged EVM tampering and webcasting failures during the April 29 election. The EC has declared the original poll void under Section 58(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
West Bengal is on high alert with two days until vote counting. The TMC has challenged a high court order on counting supervisors in the Supreme Court, while the Election Commission ordered repolling in 15 stations due to irregularities. CM Mamata Banerjee visited a strongroom, raising concerns, which the BJP called 'dramabazi'.
With counting days away, West Bengal's electoral landscape has intensified as the ruling TMC approaches the Supreme Court challenging a Calcutta HC decision on counting supervisors, while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee conducted a four-hour inspection of a strongroom in Bhowanipore. The Election Commission has ordered repolling in 15 booths and imposed prohibitory orders around counting centres, while reports of post-poll violence emerge from multiple districts.
The Election Commission has ordered repolling at 15 polling stations in Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour constituencies of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, after declaring the April 29 voting void due to violence. Fresh polling will be held on May 2 from 7 am to 6 pm. The state recorded a remarkable voter turnout of over 90 percent in both phases on April 23 and April 29. Results will be announced on May 4.
In Falta constituency of South 24 Parganas, the much-hyped confrontation between IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma (labelled 'Singham') and TMC candidate Jahangir Khan ('Pushpa') failed to materialize on polling day. Sharma traversed the constituency in a 10-vehicle convoy while Khan remained stationed in his 'control room'. EVM complaints were received—32 in Falta (20 verified), with a repoll ordered. Across Bengal, 77 complaints were filed. The encounter specialist from UP was deployed as the Election Commission's police observer, while Khan declared 'Pushpa will grow stronger'.
EC sources report no repolls recommended across 44,376 polling stations in West Bengal and 75,064 in Tamil Nadu, breaking from past patterns of multiple repolls due to political violence. Bengal recorded 92.9% turnout in its first phase after deletion of 83 lakh electors. EC implemented a three-point verification system to address electoral malpractices known as 'chaapa', 'source jamming' and 'booth jamming'.
