Fifth phase: Poll panel yet to decide on WB repolling

The Election Commission is yet to decide on repoll in any of the booths in West Bengal which went to the polls on 12 May, in the fifth and final phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state.

‘Reports of the fifth phase elections have been sent to the EC for scrutiny, but there is no feedback as yet,’ assistant CEO Amitjyoti Bhattacharya said.

Congress, BJP and Left parties had alleged rampant rigging and booth capturing in the fifth of polls and had demanded repoll at a number of booths.

Meanwhile, repolling at 11 booths in the state on Tuesday, which went to polls in the third phase on 30 April, was peaceful.

‘Turnout in the repoll at 11 booths today was 83 per cent and there was no report of any untoward incident,’ he said.

Repolling was held at Bhatar, Arambagh, Jamalpur, Ausgram, Mangalkot, Galsi and Birbhum under Burdwan East, Hooghly and Birbhum parliamentary constituencies because of various electoral malpractices. At Galsi, there was also repoll in the assembly by-elections, Bhattacharya added.

Meanwhile, the four Left parties have decided to organise nationwide protests on Wednesday against the ‘assault on democracy’ in West Bengal, accusing ruling Trinamool Congress of violence and poll malpractices and the Election Commission of being ineffective in checking them.