Bengal CEO orders EVM repoll; BJP backs move, INDIA bloc flags accountability
Synopsis
West Bengal's CEO ordered repolling wherever EVM buttons were found taped — a directive triggered by BJP's allegation that its poll button was blocked with tape in Falta booths. While BJP welcomed the move, the INDIA bloc raised a harder question: who is accountable, and what about voters who already missed their vote?
Key Takeaways
West Bengal CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal on 30 April ordered repolling at booths where EVM buttons were found taped or tampered.
BJP Co-Incharge Amit Malviya alleged BJP's poll button was blocked with tape in several booths in Falta during Phase 2 of Assembly elections.
BJP spokespeople Syed Zafar Islam and Prem Shukla welcomed the CEO's directive as consistent with the Election Commission's mandate.
Congress leader Tikaram Jully demanded strict action against those responsible for the lapses.
RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha raised broader concerns about voters who missed their vote and the accountability of system managers.
West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Thursday, 30 April directed that any polling booth where electronic voting machine (EVM) buttons were found tampered with would be subject to repolling. The announcement drew support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the Opposition INDIA bloc insisted the measure must be applied uniformly and demanded accountability for those responsible.
What the CEO Said
Agarwal stated clearly:
Point of View
But it sidesteps the harder question the INDIA bloc is raising: if EVM buttons can be taped in multiple booths during a live election, the failure is systemic, not incidental. BJP's selective endorsement — welcoming the directive while having raised the original alarm — is politically convenient. The more uncomfortable accountability question, flagged by RJD's Manoj Kumar Jha, concerns the voters who could not cast their ballot at all. A repoll addresses future voting; it does not restore a vote already lost.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the West Bengal CEO order repolling at certain booths?
West Bengal CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal ordered repolling at booths where EVM buttons were found to have been taped or tampered with. The directive came after BJP Co-Incharge Amit Malviya alleged that BJP's poll button on EVMs was blocked using tape in several booths in Falta during Phase 2 of Assembly elections.
What did the BJP say about the repoll directive?
BJP welcomed the CEO's directive. Spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam said repolling should be conducted wherever the Election Commission deems it necessary, while Prem Shukla called it essential for free and fair elections.
What concerns did the INDIA bloc raise?
The INDIA bloc stressed that repolling must be implemented wherever irregularities are found and demanded accountability. Congress leader Tikaram Jully called for strict action against those responsible, while RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha raised concerns about voters who missed their vote entirely and who would take responsibility for them.
Where specifically were EVM tampering allegations made?
BJP Co-Incharge for West Bengal Amit Malviya alleged that BJP's poll button on EVMs was blocked using tape in several polling booths in Falta, during the second phase of West Bengal Assembly elections. He described the situation as a pattern and demanded repolling in the affected areas.
What is the Election Commission's role in ordering repolls?
The Election Commission of India decides where repolling should take place based on verified facts and information received from ground-level reports. As BJP's Syed Zafar Islam noted, it is the Commission's responsibility — not political parties' — to determine the scope of repolling.
