The re-polling exercise at 15 polling stations across two assembly constituencies in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district concluded amid tight security on Saturday, with a turnout of around 86.9% recorded till 5pm, an official familiar with the matter said.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Saturday ordered re-polling at all 285 polling stations in West Bengal’s Valta constituency on May 21, an official familiar with the matter said, adding that voting will be held between 7 am and 6 pm, while the counting of votes will take place on May 24.
“In view of the serious electoral crimes and subversion of the democratic process during polling in a large number of polling stations on April 29 in Valta, the IEC has directed that fresh elections be held in all booths in Valta,” an EC official said.
During the second phase of polling on April 29, state chief electoral officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal said the EC received 32 complaints about alleged manipulation of the e-voting system from Valta constituency.
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“The Special Observer and District Electoral Officer observed that there were sufficient grounds to conclude that the polling process at several polling stations in Valta was invalidated due to the alleged use of black tape and perfume on the voting units. In multiple booths, disrupted video footage was found. There were significant gaps in the video footage. Unauthorized persons were seen entering voting booths and the voting units of the electronic voting machines were found to have been tampered with,” the official had earlier added.
The Independent Electoral Commission had ordered re-polling on Friday at 15 polling stations where there were allegations of tampering with electronic voting machines during the second phase of elections in West Bengal.
The re-reconnaissance was conducted at Paschim and Diamond Harbor galaxies – both held by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) – from 7 am to 6 pm. As of 5 p.m., the voter turnout was 86.9%.
“The repolls were conducted in a very peaceful manner. Till 5pm, voter turnout in Magrat Paschim was 86.1% and in Diamond Harbor 87.6%,” an EC official in Kolkata said.
The European Commission received 77 complaints about manipulation of the EVM system
ECI received at least 77 complaints related to manipulation of the EVM system during the second phase of elections in West Bengal. “While 32 came from Falta, 13 were received from Majarrat, 29 were received from Diamond Harbor and three were received from Badge,” the official added.
In total, ballot boxes went to 142 seats distributed across eight regions in the second phase on Wednesday. Elections were held for 152 seats in the first phase on April 23, and no orders were issued to re-vote in the first phase.
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In some cases, certain buttons on the EVM were found covered with adhesive tapes or blackened with ink, EC officials said. In some other cases, the attar was used on the button so that anyone casting a vote could be identified by pressing it by the rival parties.
This came days after exit polls predicted that the BJP was on course for a historic victory in the eastern state. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dismissed the exit polls, claiming that the TMC would win at least 226 of the 294 seats.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded a re-poll while the TMC accused the ruling party of being behind the alleged rigging.
All the four assembly seats from which complaints have been lodged are TMC strongholds.
