Bengal Election 2026 Highlights: Repolling Concludes At 15 Booths In South 24 Parganas, Turnout Hits 86.9% Till 5 PM

Repolling in 11 polling stations of Magrahat Paschim and four stations of Diamond Harbour has concluded. The polling was held for 11 hours from 7 AM to 6 PM.

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), 86.11 PER CENT voter turnout was recorded in Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency and 87.60 per cent in Diamond Harbour assembly constituency till 5 PM, news agency ANI reported.

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), 86.90 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 PM.

The Election Commission on Friday ordered a repoll in 15 polling stations of the Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour assembly constituencies. The decision to re-poll at these polling stations was taken after receiving reports from the concerned Returning Officers and the Observers, informed the Election Commission.

Heavy security was deployed after BJP and TMC supporters clashed in South 24 Parganas during repolling. BJP supporters alleged that they are being prevented from voting.

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), 72.50 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency and 72.36 per cent in Diamond Harbour assembly constituency till 3 PM.

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), 72.43 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 3 PM. The poll body on Friday ordered a repoll in 15 booths of the Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour assembly constituencies.

According to a report by the news agency PTI, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has deployed 165 additional counting observers to assist counting observers and 77 police observers.

The results of all the 294 constituencies of West Bengal will be announced on May 4. Along with Bengal, the results of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Puducherry will also be announced on the same day.

A clash broke out between BJP and TMC supporters during re-polling in South 24 Parganas, where BJP workers alleged they were prevented from voting. Police said the situation is under control and a case over intimidation has been registered. Repolling was ordered by the EC after EVM tampering allegations, with turnout crossing 50% in key seats.

A TMC leader and candidate from Shyampukur constituency alleged irregularities at a strong room, claiming security personnel initially denied entry despite candidates being allowed inside. He said police later intervened to clarify the rule.

Till 11 am, 38.2% approximate voter turnout recorded in Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency and 35.92% in Diamond Harbour assembly constituency.

Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale has alleged irregularities in the vote counting schedule, questioning the delay between polling and counting in multiple states.

In a post on X, Gokhale said, "The vote counting delay scam. The final phase of voting in Bengal completed on 29th April Tamil Nadu voted on 23rd April Assam & Kerala voted on 9th April With EVMs which are digital, why does the ECI need over 4 days for starting the counting process? Counting can easily begin within 48 hours of voting. Besides, counting for Assam & Kerala didn’t have to wait till 4th May (after 24 days of voting). Simple - it gives BJP enough time to play the markets using fake exit polls. During Lok Sabha 2024, ordinary investors lost Rs 31 lakh crore after exit polls gave 400+ to NDA. The results turned out to be the opposite. This is a racket worth lakhs of crores & the ECI & SEBI are colluding to help BJP make money."

A government employee claiming to be Joint BDO of Diamond Harbour Block 2 was confronted while allegedly in a drunken state as he attempted to enter a polling station. His election ID card identified him as an Assistant Returning Officer.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya welcomed the Election Commission’s decision to conduct repolling, saying reports indicate that voting is taking place peacefully.

BJP candidate from Magrahat Paschim, Goursundar Ghosh, said repolling is being held at 11 booths following complaints of “booth jam” that allegedly prevented voters from casting their ballots.

The poll body informed that 15.83 per cent voting was recorded in Diamond Harbour assembly constituency till 9 am

As per the data provided by the Election Commission, 16.68 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency till 9 am

A voter has complained that EVM is malfunctioning at booth number 243 of Roynagar Primary School in Diamond Harbour constituency. He alleged that the voters have been waiting for more than half an hour due to the issue.

As per the Election Commission, the decision of revoting was taken after receiving reports from the concerned Returning Officers and the Observers

Amid the tight security arrangements, long queues of voters were seen at the Bahirpuya Kurkuriya FP School polling booths at Magrahat Paschim Assembly Constituency.

The results of West Bengal assembly election will be declared on May 4. While the TMC will try to repeat its government, the BJP is expecting to form its government for the first time in Bengal.

Vijay Ojha, BJP candidate from Jorasanko assembly constituency, stated that the Election Commission has imposed no restriction on entry. "There is no restriction on coming here... Their (TMC) people are sitting here 24 hours a day.... Now, do they not have faith in themselves, too?" Ojha was quoted as saying by ANI.

"The system through which postal ballots come and go, and this segregation happens, and yesterday also the unusual EVs that we came to in the morning were sealed. If no candidate is coming (in the strongroom), no agent is coming, then the Election Commission will not wait for that. The Election Commission informs everyone at one time, and everyone has to come," he added.

Amid the tight security arrangements, repolling is being conducted at Najra polling stations 126 and 127 in Magrahat Paschim Assembly Constituency.

Congress leader Udit Raj, while reacting to the repolling, expressed concern over the situation.

"Bengal elections are extraordinary elections, violence has taken place there, especially since the TMC government came to power, violence has become regular there, and this violence has increased further since the BJP came to power. Otherwise, we never knew Bengal as a place of violence. There is a lot of violence there; strict security arrangements have been made. If there is re-polling, then it is not good," Raj was quoted as saying by ANI.

The Election Commission has deployed Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel near polling booths to ensure peaceful voting.

The poll body stated that the repolling at 15 booths will be conducted after receiving complaints of irregularities in these regions. 'The poll taken on 29th April, 2026, for the aforesaid election at the following polling stations is to be void, and appoints 2nd May, 2026, as the date and fixes the hours for taking a fresh poll at the said polling stations,' Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer wrote in the order.

BJP leader and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar stated that inner fear of Mamata Banerjee has taken over. "Mamata Banerjee in the morning boosted confidence of her workers, urging them to hold on to counting tables, but by the evening, her inner fear took over, she knows that BJP is forming the government…She went into Opposition mode since she knows the role of LoP awaits her," he stated.

Amid very tight security, repolling in 15 polling stations of the Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour assembly constituencies is underway.

West Bengal Congress chief Subhankar Sarkar alleged that the BJP was trying to take advantage of the exit poll in the repolling at 15 polling booths.

"The BJP has taken advantage of the exit polls. All exit polls are saying that the BJP is winning... This propaganda is helping the BJP... According to me, the voters in Bengal have a lot of courage; they have a lot of capability to make decisions. All political parties should wait for the final results," Sarkar was quoted as saying by ANI.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shashi Panja stated that the BJP wanted repoll on several other polling booth stations. "There were incidents where they would incite some kind of trouble so that there could be a massive repoll in many more booths. We did not react to their provocation," Panja was quoted as saying by ANI.

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari stated that re-polling should have happened in more booths in Diamond Harbour and in the whole of the Falta segment.

"Whatever happened at Magrahat West is welcomed. The re-polling should have happened in more booths in Diamond Harbour and in the whole of the Falta segment... There is a system and procedure which is being followed... We respect the Election Commission," the BJP leader was quoted as saying by ANI.

The Election Commission informed that the decision to re-poll at these polling stations was taken after receiving reports from the concerned Returning Officers and the Observers.

A long queue of voters was seen in the early hours after repolling was announced at 15 polling stations in the two constituencies.

Shankar Ghosh, BJP candidate from Siliguri Assembly constituency, alleged that the ruling party is trying to mislead the people by spreading fake narrative.

The result of all the 294 constituencies of West Bengal will be announced on May 4. Along with Bengal, the results of Keralam, Tamil Nadu, Assam, an Puducherry will also be announced on the same day.

Ahead of the repolling, a voter expressed satisfaction with the arrangements by stating that the process was smooth an secure. "I woke up at 6 am today…The arrangements are good, and we have no reason to fear. Good work has been done, and we hope it gets even better," a voter was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

The repolling on 15 polling booths of two constituencies in Bengal began under a tight security arrangements. The Election Commission had received complaints of irregularities during the polling for the second phase.