The Rejinagar Assembly constituency bypoll in West Bengal's Murshidabad district descended into controversy on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, after two candidates — including one from the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) — formally wrote to the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding cancellation of the ongoing vote and a fresh re-poll.

Two Candidates Demand Re-Poll

Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, the TMC candidate for Rejinagar, became the second aspirant on the day to write to the ECI seeking cancellation of polling and a re-poll at the seat. Earlier, Congress candidate Mohammad Abdullahil Kafi had raised an identical demand and staged a sit-in demonstration in front of the Rejinagar Police Station to press his case. The back-to-back demands from two rival parties signal widespread concern over the conduct of the bypoll, though specific allegations of malpractice from both sides were not detailed in the formal communications made available.

BJP Rejects Allegations of Malpractice

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Rejinagar, Shankharav Sarkar, flatly denied any suggestion of electoral irregularities. 'The voting at Rejinagar is taking place in a festive mood. People were able to vote freely and peacefully after a long time, standing in line. We (BJP) were ahead in the campaign and will be ahead in the counting as well. The Opposition will say a lot. But the reality is different,' Sarkar said.

Turnout Remains High Despite Controversy

Despite the political storm, voter participation at both Rejinagar and Nandigram Assembly constituencies in East Midnapore district remained robust. By 3 pm, the average polling percentage across both seats stood at 70.54%, which sources from the office of the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) described as notably high for bypolls. At Rejinagar specifically, turnout had reached 69.29%, while Nandigram logged an even higher 71.79% by the same time. A source from the CEO's office noted that pleasant weather sustained voter enthusiasm even during the typically low-footfall window of 1 pm to 3 pm, and projected that the final average figure would comfortably cross 80% when polling closed at 6 pm.

Legislator Arrested for Violating Election Rules

Separately, the CEO's office forwarded a detailed report to the ECI's headquarters in New Delhi regarding the earlier arrest of Humayun Kabir, the founder-cum-legislator of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), during polling hours. According to the report sent by the Murshidabad district administration, Kabir was arrested for allegedly violating election rules. The precise nature of the violation was not disclosed in available information.

What Happens Next

The ECI will now be required to review the re-polling demands from both Chowdhury and Kafi, alongside the arrest report forwarded by the CEO's office. A decision on whether to uphold, partially address, or dismiss the re-poll petitions could set the tone for how disputed bypoll grievances are handled in West Bengal ahead of the next state assembly cycle. The final voter turnout figures, once confirmed, will also be a key data point in assessing the credibility of the poll process.