West Bengal assembly polls: Repolling begins at 15 booths
What's the story
Repolling is underway at 15 polling stations in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district. The Election Commission of India (ECI) ordered the repoll after receiving complaints of irregularities during the second phase of assembly elections on April 29. The repolling is being conducted in 11 booths under Magarhat Paschim and four under the Diamond Harbour constituency.
Complaint details
Decision taken after reports of 'material circumstances'
The decision for repolling was taken after returning officers and observers reported "material circumstances" warranting the action. The ECI had received 29 complaints from Diamond Harbour and 13 from Magrahat. Such demands for repolling are usually made by political parties or candidates, citing specific irregularities like EVM malfunction, booth capturing, or intimidation.
Political reactions
BJP alleged electoral malpractices in Diamond Harbour
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had alleged large-scale electoral malpractices in the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, which is represented by Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The ECI had sent special observer Subrata Gupta to verify these allegations. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh dismissed the BJP's demand for repolling, saying, "The mandate is against the BJP, and it will remain the same."
Voter turnout
Record voter turnout in Bengal
The two-phase West Bengal assembly polls witnessed a record voter turnout of around 92%. Phase one saw a 93% turnout while phase two recorded 91%. This is the highest-ever voter turnout in the state's history, surpassing the previous record of 84% in 2011. Women voters also turned out more than men, with a higher participation rate in both phases.
Election predictions
Exit polls forecast BJP's rise in Bengal
Exit polls have predicted a possible victory for the BJP in West Bengal, NDTV reported. Praja Poll's numbers show the BJP winning 178-208 seats, while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's TMC could be reduced to 85-110 seats. Today's Chanakya exit polls also forecast around 192 seats for the BJP and about 100 for TMC. However, Janmat Polls predict a thumping majority for TMC with 195-205 seats and only 80-90 seats for BJP.