EC orders repoll at 285 stations in West Bengal's Falta on May 21 over ‘severe electoral offences’

REpolling in 15 polling stations of the cross crosswise deuce assemblage constituencies in due west Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district concluded amid tight security on Saturday, with around 86.9% turnout recorded till 5 pm, an official aware of the matter said.Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Saturday ordered a repoll at all 285 polling stations in the Falta constituency in West Bengal on May 21, an official aware of the matter said, adding that voting will be held between 7 am and 6 pm, while counting will take place on May 24.“On consideration of severe electoral offences and subversion of democratic process during polling in a large number of polling stations on April 29 in Falta, the ECI has directed fresh polls in all the booths in Falta,” 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 of alleged EVM tampering from the Falta constituency.ALSO READ | Supreme Court rejects TMC's plea on state govt representative among counting officials after EC's assurances“The Special Observer and the District Election Officer observed that there were sufficient grounds to conclude that the poll process in several polling stations in Falta was vitiated due to alleged application of black tape and perfume on ballot units. In multiple booths, the video feeds were found to be broken. There were large gaps in the video footages. Unauthorised persons could be seen entering the voting compartments and ballot units of the EVMs were found to be tampered,” the official quoted earlier added.The ECI had ordered repolls on Friday in 15 polling stations where allegations of electronic voting machine tampering were received during the second phase of the elections in West Bengal.The repoll in Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour – both held by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) – was conducted from 7 am to 6 pm. Till 5 pm, a voter turnout of 86.9% was recorded.“Repolls were held in a very peaceful manner. Till 5 pm, the voter turnout in Magrahat Paschim was 86.1% and in Diamond Harbour it was 87.6%,” said an EC official in Kolkata.EC received 77 complaints of EVM tamperingECI had received at least 77 complaints related to EVM tampering during the second phase of elections in West Bengal. “While 32 came from Falta, 13 were received from Magrahat, 29 were received from Diamond Harbour and three were received from Budge Budge,” the official added.In all, 142 assembly seats spread over eight districts went to polls in the second phase on Wednesday. Elections were held in 152 seats in the first phase on April 23. No orders for repolling were issued in the first phase.ALSO READ | West Bengal: ECI seeks Falta report as EVM tampering charge mars Phase 2 pollsEC officials said that in some cases certain buttons on the EVM were found covered with adhesive tapes or blackened with ink. In some other cases, attar was used on the button so that anyone casting a vote by pressing it could be identified by rival parties.The order came days after exit polls predicted that the BJP was on course for a historic victory in the eastern state; chief minister Mamata Banerjee has dismissed the exit polls, claiming that the TMC will win at least 226 out of the 294 seats.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded a repoll while accusing the ruling TMC of being behind the alleged tampering.All the four assembly seats from where complaints were filed are TMC strongholds.