• LS Polls 2024: Repolling Underway in two booths in West Bengal after EC's order

    National
    LS Polls 2024: Repolling Underway in two booths in West Bengal after EC's order
    This decision follows clashes between supporters of different political parties, including the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Indian Secular Front (ISF), and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), during the final phase of Lok Sabha elections on June 1. 

    Digital Desk: The Election Commission has mandated repolling at one polling station each in the Barasat and Mathurapur Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal, just a day ahead of the vote counting. The specific locations for repolling are 61 Kadambagachi Saradar Pada FP School, Room No 2 of the 120-Deganga Assembly Constituency in the 17-Barasat Parliamentary Constituency, and 26 Aaddir Mahal Srichaitanya Bidyapith FP School of the 131-Kakdwip Assembly Constituency in the 20-Mathurapur (SC) Parliamentary Constituency.

    The Election Commission communicated this decision in a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal. The letter 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 aforesaid election at the following polling stations (as mentioned in Column 3 of the table below) to be void and appoints 3 June 2024 as the date and fixes the hours as mentioned in Column (4) of the table below, 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 Hand Book for Returning Officer, 2023."

    Citing reports from the Returning Officer, District Electoral Officer, and Observers of the respective constituencies regarding incidents during the Lok Sabha elections held on June 1, 2024, the Election Commission invoked Section 58(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, declaring the polls at these stations void. June 3, 2024, has been set as the date for fresh polling, with timings specified by the Commission.

    This decision follows clashes between supporters of different political parties, including the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Indian Secular Front (ISF), and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), during the final phase of Lok Sabha elections on June 1. Violent incidents, such as clashes in Bayarbari and Meraganj, resulted in injuries. Additionally, there was resistance to the arrest of a BJP worker in Basirhat's Sandeshkhali area.