The Election Commission on Saturday ordered fresh repolling at West Bengal’s Falta constituency after violent clashes between the supporters of Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),
with each party alleging attempts at vote tampering.
The Commission said the repolling at all 285 polling stations of Falta will take place after considering “severe electoral offences and subversion of democratic process” during polling in the second phase on April 29.
The poll body said fresh polling in all booths would be conducted from 7 am to 6 pm on May 21, weeks after the day of counting for the West Bengal Assembly elections. The counting of votes for Falta will take place on May 24, 2026.
What Happened In Falta?
The Election Commission had ordered repolling at 15 booths in Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour due to allegations of electoral malpractice and vote tampering. The repolling began this morning without any incident amidst heavy security presence, with over 72% turnout in both constituencies by 3 pm.
However, violent clashes broke out between BJP and TMC workers in Falta, with BJP supporters alleging that they were prevented from voting. TMC supporters accused the BJP of disrupting the electoral process. Police officers resorted to a lathi-charge and arrested three people in connection with the clashes.
BJP’s Falta candidate, Debangshu Panda, alleged that voting could not be conducted properly at several booths as people were threatened and prevented from voting by TMC workers.
READ MORE: ‘They Will Burn Our Houses’: Locals In South 24 Parganas’ Falta Claim TMC Workers Are Threatening Them
Locals Protest Against TMC In Falta
Meanwhile, locals in the Hashim Nagar area of the Falta Assembly constituency began protesting in the area by blocking roads, alleging that they were being harassed by TMC workers.
“TMC’s Israfil Chowkidar has threatened us that if these people win, they will burn our houses and carry out bloodshed,” a local woman told news agency ANI. Another woman alleged that despite voting for the ruling party, they were targeted.
Even TMC supporters aren’t feeling safe anymore.
In Falta, South 24 Parganas, a woman who had voted for TMC says that TMC Pradhan Israfil Chowkidar and his men attacked and threatened village locals. She demands his immediate arrest, stressing that women’s safety cannot be… pic.twitter.com/G6AulFW7Zk
— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) May 2, 2026
TMC candidate from Falta, Jehangir Khan, denied the accusations and alleged that the protesters were “deployed” by the BJP to stage the demonstration and engineer the arrest of TMC functionaries in the area before the counting to “harm the morale of the TMC supporters”.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Saturday deployed 165 additional counting observers and 77 police observers in West Bengal to ensure secure and transparent counting of votes.
