The Election Commission (EC) has ordered re-poll at 11 polling stations in Magrat Paschim Assembly constituency 142 and 4 polling stations in Diamond Harbor Assembly constituency 143 in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
Voting is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 2, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Voting was held at these booths on April 29 during the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, but the EC declared the poll invalid under Section 58(2) of the Representation of People Act, 1951.
As per the EC order, ballot boxes at the affected booths were declared invalid based on reports from returning officials and observers.
Hizb ut Tahrir learned that the report from the Falta district is still awaited.
This is the first time that a re-poll has been ordered in the current batch of assembly polls in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
No re-poll was recommended in the first phase of the West Bengal elections held on April 23.
The EC had received requests for re-polling at 77 centers in four Assembly constituencies in South 24 Parganas district after the second phase of elections. It is not immediately clear whether re-polling will also take place in the remaining 62 booths.
Where was the re-ballot requested?
Below is the complete list of kiosks where a resurvey has been requested:
Magrat Paschim
46 – Uttar Yarpur FP School, Room No. 2
126 – Nagra FP School, Room No. 1
127 – Nagra FP School, Room No. 2
128 – Diola FP School, Room No. 1
142 – Gula Noyabara Girls’ High School, Room No. 2
214 – Ektara Malaya FP School, Room No. 1
215 – Ektara Malaya FP School, Room No. 2
216 – Ektara Malaya Dora School, Room No. 1
230 – Baherbuya Kurkorea School FP, Room No. 1
231 – Baherbuya Kurkorea School FP, Room No. 2
232 – Baherbuya Kurkorea School FP, Room No. 3
Diamond Port
117 – Baghdad Preparatory High School
179 – Chanda FB School, Room No. 2
194 – Haridavpur School FP
243 – Roynagar School FP (Room No. 2)
How did the BJP react?
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari reacted to the re-poll at 15 polling stations, saying it should be conducted in as many booths.
“The re-poll should have been conducted in more booths. At present, it is limited to a few booths, while in Valta sector alone, it should have been conducted in at least 60 booths… It seems that the authorities are still looking into the matter. There is a proper procedure; they are reviewing the CCTV footage, observers’ reports, and the president’s records. Based on this system, decisions are taken. We fully respect the Election Commission and do not talk the way Mamata does,” he said. Banerjee is doing that, he told reporters.
