Election Commission Orders Repolling in Two West Bengal Constituencies

GG News Bureau
Kolkata, 3rd June. The Election Commission has mandated repolling at one polling station each in the Barasat and Mathurapur Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal. This decision comes a day before the counting of votes for the General Election to the Lok Sabha.

According to the poll body’s order, repolling will take place at the following locations:

61 Kadambagachi Saradar Pada FP School, Room No 2 of 120-Deganga Assembly Constituency in 17-Barasat Parliamentary Constituency.
26 Aaddir Mahal Srichaitanya Bidyapith FP School of 131-Kakdwip Assembly Constituency in 20-Mathurapur (SC) Parliamentary Constituency.
The Election Commission stated, “I am directed to state that on the basis of reports received from the concerned RO/the concerned DEO/the Observers of 17-Barasat PC and 20-Mathurapur (SC) PC regarding poll taken for General Election to Lok Sabha for West Bengal State, 2024, held on 1 June, 2024, and after taking all material circumstances into account, the Commission hereby declares under sub-section (2) of Section 58 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, that the poll taken on 1 June, 2024, for the aforesaid election at the following polling stations to be void and appoints 3 June, 2024, as the date and fixes the hours for taking a fresh poll at the said polling stations in accordance with Commission’s instructions contained in paragraphs 13.62 of Chapter XIII of the Hand Book for Returning Officer, 2023.”

The need for repolling arose from clashes that broke out between supporters of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Indian Secular Front (ISF), and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in various areas of the state during the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha polls on June 1. Specifically, clashes were reported between TMC and BJP workers in Bayarbari in Basirhat and Meraganj in South 24 Parganas district, resulting in several injuries.

Additionally, tensions flared when West Bengal police attempted to arrest a suspect in connection with the violence in Sandeshkhali, Basirhat. Local women resisted the arrest, leading to a scuffle on Sunday. The police had come to arrest BJP worker Sadhan Nandi.

The repolling on June 3 will ensure that the voting process in these areas adheres to the required standards of fairness and transparency as stipulated by the Election Commission.