Repolling begins at one booth each in Barasat, Mathurapur LS constituencies in West Bengal

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 3 (ANI): Repolling began at one booth each in the Barasat and Mathurapur Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal on Monday.

The booth number 61 in the Kadambagachi Sardar Para area of Barasat Lok Sabha Constituency and a booth located at the Aaddir Mahal Srichaitanya Bidyapith in the Mathurapur constituency went to the repolling after the Election Commission’s order in this regard.

The decision of the repolling was based on reports of the returning officers, the district election officers, and observers concerned, said the Election Commission.

“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 the 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,” the Election Commission said in a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal on Sunday.

To manage post-election violence, nearly 400 Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) companies (over 40,000 personnel) will remain in West Bengal until June 19, sources told ANI.

A significant portion of the CAPFs will consist of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), said a source privy to the development, adding, “The decision was taken anticipating post-poll violence in West Bengal.”

“The ongoing deployment of 400 CAPF companies in West Bengal aims to establish area dominance, build confidence among citizens, and ensure a peaceful environment while maintaining law and order in the state,” said officials requesting anonymity.

As per the official source, the 400 CAPF companies consist of the CRPF, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP), and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).