Falta protests erupt over TMC 'hooliganism', locals demand re-polling before May 4 results
Synopsis
Residents of West Bengal's Falta constituency have taken to the streets alleging 15 years of rigged voting, TMC-backed intimidation, and police inaction — just days before election results are declared on 4 May. With CRPF deployed and re-polling demands mounting, the situation signals deepening electoral fault lines in the state.
Key Takeaways
Residents of Falta Assembly constituency , West Bengal , protested on 2 May against alleged TMC hooliganism.
TMC leader Israfil Chakdar was accused of threatening women and children using 'bike bahini' squads.
Locals allege voting has been rigged for 15 years and demanded re-polling at booth number 109 .
West Bengal Police allegedly used cane charges to disperse protesters; women claimed they were beaten by male officers.
CRPF personnel were deployed in the area to maintain vigil.
Residents alleged they were threatened for voting for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and barred from work and movement.
Residents of the Falta Assembly constituency in West Bengal staged a protest on Saturday, 2 May against alleged hooliganism by All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) activists, with locals claiming that voting in the area has been rigged for the past 15 years and demanding re-polling ahead of the Assembly election results on 4 May. The demonstration broke out in the Hashim Nagar area and drew attention to allegations of intimidation, police inaction, and restricted movement.
Allegations Against TMC Leader Israfil Chakdar
Residents of Hashim Nagar alleged that local TMC leader Israfil Chakdar arrived with so-called 'bike bahini' (bike squads) and allegedly threatened women and children. A local resident told IANS:
Point of View
Booth numbers, and accounts of police complicity rather than mere neutrality. If the allegations of cane charges against women and the failure to arrest an accused individual within the promised 12-hour window are verified, they raise serious questions about the state administration's impartiality. With results due on 4 May, the window for any credible institutional response is narrow — and the political cost of inaction could outlast the election cycle.
NationPress
5 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Falta Assembly constituency protest about?
Residents of Falta in West Bengal staged a protest on 2 May alleging hooliganism by TMC activists, threats against women and children, and 15 years of rigged voting. They are demanding re-polling at booth number 109 before results are declared on 4 May.
Who is Israfil Chakdar and what are the allegations against him?
Israfil Chakdar is a local TMC leader accused by Hashim Nagar residents of arriving with bike squads and threatening women with sexual violence and children with physical harm. Locals alleged that police failed to arrest him despite a 12-hour assurance.
What role did West Bengal Police play in the Falta protests?
Residents alleged that police used cane charges to disperse protesters and that a male officer struck a woman with a stick. They also accused the police of protecting TMC-linked individuals rather than responding to their complaints.
Why are residents demanding re-polling at booth number 109?
Locals claim that free and fair voting has not taken place in the area for the past 15 years due to alleged TMC control over the electoral process. They are specifically seeking fresh polling at booth number 109 before the 4 May result declaration.
Were central forces deployed in Falta?
Yes, CRPF personnel were seen keeping vigil in the Hashim Nagar area of Falta constituency amid the protests, according to reports from the ground.
