West Bengal Elections 2026: EC orders repoll in 15 booths, TMC challenges counting rule in SC

The Election Commission of India on Friday ordered repolling in 15 polling stations across two Assembly constituencies in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district following reports of alleged electoral malpractices during the second phase of polling held on April 29. 

According to the EC order, repolling will take place on May 2 between 7 am and 6 pm in 11 polling stations of Magrahat Paschim Assembly constituency and four polling stations in Diamond Harbour. 

The decision was taken based on reports submitted by returning officers, election observers, and other “material circumstances”, the poll body said. The constituencies fall under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat represented by Abhishek Banerjee, the national general secretary of the All India Trinamool Congress. 

BJP-TMC trade charges over malpractices 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP had alleged widespread electoral malpractices in several booths in the two assembly segments and sought intervention from the EC. Following the complaints, the poll panel deputed special observer Subrata Gupta to assess the situation on the ground. 

Reacting to the EC’s decision, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh accused the BJP of attempting to influence the election process. 

“BJP knows it will be defeated by a big margin in Diamond Harbour and Magrahat, and that is why they are demanding a repoll in these places. With the EC’s assistance, the BJP is forcing people of these areas to go through the rigours of the voting process yet again. The mandate is against the BJP, and it will remain the same,” Ghosh said. 

Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari welcomed the repoll order and alleged that irregularities had taken place to benefit the ruling TMC. 

“There had been malpractices in several booths in these areas to favour the TMC. We are happy with the repoll decision of the EC,” Adhikari said. 

TMC moves SC over counting supervisors 

Meanwhile, the TMC has also moved the Supreme Court of India seeking an urgent hearing against the EC’s decision to appoint only central government employees as counting supervisors for the two-phased West Bengal Assembly elections. 

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed that the matter be heard urgently on May 2 by a bench comprising Justices PS Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi. 

The TMC approached the apex court after the Calcutta High Court dismissed its plea challenging the EC’s directive on counting personnel. 

Justice Krishna Rao ruled that there was no illegality in the EC’s decision to appoint counting supervisors and assistants from central government departments or public sector undertakings instead of state government employees. 

“It is the prerogative of the office of the EC to appoint the counting supervisor and counting assistant either from the state government or the central government,” the court observed. 

The TMC’s petition challenged an April 30 communication issued by the Additional Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, which stated that at least one of the counting supervisor or counting assistant at every table should be a central government or PSU employee.