Kolkata

Nearly 37 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 11 am on Saturday during repolling in 15 polling booths across two assembly constituencies in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, election officials said.

According to the Election Commission of India, polling remained peaceful in all affected booths, with no reports of violence or disruption.

Repolling is being conducted in 11 booths in the Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency and four booths in Diamond Harbour after the poll panel ordered fresh voting following complaints of alleged electoral irregularities during the second phase of polling held on April 29.

Polling began at 7 am and is scheduled to continue until 6 pm. Officials said the overall turnout till 11 am stood at 36.99 per cent.

Magrahat Paschim recorded a turnout of 38.2 per cent, while Diamond Harbour registered 35.92 per cent during the same period.

Election officials said adequate deployment of central security forces has been made in both constituencies, and webcasting arrangements are in place to monitor the polling process in real time.

The repoll decision was taken based on reports submitted by returning officers, election observers, and other material evidence reviewed by the Commission.

In Magrahat Paschim, All India Trinamool Congress candidate Md Samim Ahamed Molla is contesting against Bharatiya Janata Party nominee Goursundar Ghosh, with candidates from the Congress and the Indian Secular Front also in the race.

In Diamond Harbour, TMC’s Panna Lal Halder is facing BJP candidate Dipak Kumar Halder, among other contenders.

The BJP had earlier alleged large-scale polling irregularities in booths under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, represented by Abhishek Banerjee.

The Election Commission had subsequently deputed special observer Subrata Gupta to verify the allegations on the ground.

The poll panel is also expected to decide on demands for repolling in the Falta assembly constituency later in the day.

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Counting of votes for the West Bengal Assembly elections, conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29, is scheduled for May 4.