Bengal repoll sees nearly 37 per cent turnout by 11 am; voting peaceful

Nearly 37 per cent voter turnout was recorded until 11.00 am during repolling in 15 booths across two Assembly constituencies in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, an official said.

Polling was underway without incident in 11 booths of Magrahat Paschim and four in Diamond Harbour, where the Election Commission of India ordered a repoll a day earlier following reports of electoral malpractices.

Voting began at 7.00 am and will continue until 6.00 pm. By 11.00 am, turnout stood at 36.99 per cent, officials said. Magrahat Paschim recorded 38.2 per cent turnout, while Diamond Harbour saw 35.92 per cent, according to polling officials.

"So far, polling has been peaceful with none of the two Assembly constituencies reporting any incident of violence or unrest," an ECI official told PTI. "We have an adequate number of central forces in the two constituencies. Webcasting is also being conducted, and we are monitoring the proceedings."

Voting in these constituencies was originally held in the second phase of the state elections on 29 April. The repoll decision was taken based on reports from returning officers, observers and “material circumstances”, an ECI official said.

In Magrahat Paschim, Trinamool Congress candidate Md Samim Ahamed Molla is contesting against BJP’s Goursundar Ghosh. Abdul Majid Halder of the Congress and ISF nominee Abdul Aziz Al Hassan are also in the fray.

In Diamond Harbour, TMC’s Panna Lal Halder is up against BJP candidate Dipak Kumar Halder, while Congress’s Goutam Bhattacharya and CPI(M)’s Samar Naiya are among the other contestants.

The BJP had alleged widespread electoral malpractices at certain polling stations in both constituencies, which fall under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat represented by TMC national general-secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

The Election Commission had deputed special observer Subrata Gupta to verify the allegations on the ground. The poll panel is also expected to decide on Saturday, 2 May, whether repolling will be required in the Falta Assembly constituency.

The West Bengal Assembly elections were conducted in two phases — 23 April and 29 April — under extensive security arrangements. Counting of votes is scheduled for 4 May.

With PTI inputs