Repolling in West Bengal's Falta assembly seat started on Thursday morning under heavy security, after allegations of serious irregularities during the April 29 voting turned the constituency in South 24 Parganas into a major confrontation point between the BJP, the TMC and election authorities. The constituency, part of Abhishek Banerjee's Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha area, has long been politically sensitive. More than 2.36 lakh electors, including 1.15 lakh women and nine third-gender voters, are eligible to vote across 285 booths, with polling beginning at 7 am under close monitoring.
Falta repoll security measures and Election Commission action The Election Commission ordered the Falta repoll citing "severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process" during the second phase of the assembly elections on April 29. Officials reported attempts to interfere with web camera recordings and alleged manipulation of electronic voting machines at one Falta booth. Security arrangements for the Falta repoll have been scaled up. A total of 35 companies of the Central Armed Police Force are deployed, with eight personnel, equal to one full section, posted at each polling station. During the earlier polling, only four personnel, or half a section, guarded each booth.