Counting of votes for the Falta Assembly constituency repoll in West Bengal began on 24 May, following a repoll held on 21 May across all 285 booths.
The repoll was ordered after the original 29 April vote was scrapped due to allegations of irregularities. Early trends indicate that Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Debangshu Panda has taken a significant lead, with tight security arrangements in place throughout the process.
According to Hindustan Times, the Election Commission of India deployed extensive security outside strong rooms and at the counting centre.
The repoll was necessitated by allegations of EVM tampering and other irregularities during the initial polling. Debangshu Panda of the BJP is leading, followed by CPI(M)’s Sambhu Nath Kurmi, while Congress trails by a considerable margin.
As highlighted by The Hindu, the repolling process was largely peaceful, with a voter turnout of 87.85%. The Election Commission received only technical complaints, with no major law-and-order issues reported. The repoll was conducted amid a heavy presence of Central forces, including armoured vehicles and drone surveillance, to ensure a secure environment for voters.
Early trends showed that after the first round of counting, Debangshu Panda had secured a lead of more than 9,000 votes over his nearest rival. The counting process, which began at 8 am, is expected to continue through 21 rounds. Trinamool Congress nominee Jahangir Khan, who withdrew from the contest two days before the repoll, was trailing in third place.
The repoll was ordered after scrutiny revealed alleged attempts to tamper with EVMs and web camera footage at several polling stations, raising concerns about the conduct of polling personnel and observers as coverage revealed.
The Election Commission responded by deploying around 35 companies of central forces and ensuring enhanced security for the repoll and counting process.
“The counting is progressing peacefully. Adequate security arrangements have been made at the counting centre,” a poll panel official stated, as cited in multiple reports.
Voter turnout for the repoll was notably high, with more than 87% of the 2.36 lakh eligible electors participating according to data. The electorate included 1,21,300 men, 1,15,135 women, and nine third-gender individuals. The repoll was not a by-election but a continuation of the original electoral process, which had been interrupted due to the reported irregularities.
Counting is being conducted under strict supervision, with 21 rounds scheduled to determine the final outcome as analysis showed.
The result is expected to officially conclude the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election process, following the earlier declaration of results for the rest of the state on 4 May.
“The previous atmosphere of fear and intimidation is not there anymore. Our agents are there in every booth. Trinamool agents could not be found. Trinamool is finished here,” BJP candidate Debangshu Panda said, reflecting on the changed environment during the repoll.
Security was a major focus, with the Election Commission doubling its efforts after the initial polling day saw complaints of EVM tampering and alleged intimidation as reporting indicated. The repolling process was monitored closely to prevent any recurrence of irregularities and to maintain the integrity of the electoral process.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.