Falta repoll: 20.47% turnout in first 2 hours, TMC agents absent from all 285 booths
Synopsis
In a constituency where many voters say they last cast a free ballot in 2011, Falta's repoll on 21 May unfolded without a single incident — and without the TMC. With 35 CAPF companies deployed and the ruling party's candidate having symbolically withdrawn, the 20.47% first-two-hour turnout tells a story about fear receding and political power shifting in one of West Bengal's most closely watched seats.
Key Takeaways
Falta Assembly constituency repoll on 21 May recorded 20.47% turnout in the first two hours until 9 am .
TMC polling agents were absent from all 285 booths ; candidate Jahangir Khan's withdrawal left no party presence on the ground.
Despite Khan's withdrawal, his name remained on EVM ballot pads , making the withdrawal symbolic only.
Agents of BJP , CPI(M) , and Congress were present at all 285 polling stations.
35 companies of the CAPF were deployed — an unusually high security presence for a single Assembly seat.
Several voters reported this was their first free vote since the 2011 West Bengal Assembly elections .
Repolling for the Falta Assembly constituency in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district proceeded in a completely peaceful atmosphere on Thursday, 21 May, recording a 20.47% voter turnout in the first two hours until 9 am. Not a single report of violence, tension, or electoral malpractice emerged from any of the 285 polling booths across the constituency — a marked contrast to the disruption-marred original poll on 29 April.
TMC Absent as Candidate's Withdrawal Leaves Booths Unmanned
The most visible feature of the repolling was the complete absence of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) on the ground. Following the withdrawal announcement by TMC candidate Jahangir Khan last week, the party's polling agents were missing from all 285 booths. No temporary camp offices of the party were visible anywhere in the constituency.
The shutters of Khan's main party office remained down and locked. Khan himself was reportedly not available at his residence in the Srirampur area of Falta. Notably, despite his withdrawal announcement, Khan's name continued to appear on the EVM ballot pads, rendering the withdrawal purely symbolic under electoral rules.
BJP, CPI(M) and Congress Agents Present at All Booths
In contrast, polling agents of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)), and Indian National Congress were present at all 285 polling stations. The temporary camp offices of these three parties were also operational across different parts of Falta, with party workers present within the limits stipulated by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Voters Turn Out in Force, Many Voting for First Time Since 2011
Long queues formed outside polling booths from the moment repolling opened at 7 am, with scorching summer heat doing little to deter voters. Several voters told reporters that this was the first time since the 2011 West Bengal Assembly elections — which ended the 34-year Left Front regime and ushered in 15 years of TMC rule — that they had been able to cast their votes freely.
'My entire family has been traditionally Trinamool Congress supporters. But even after that, we were not allowed to cast our votes in any of the elections after 2011. Jahangir trusted no one except his own confidant followers. We could not even vote on April 29, when the polls here were held in the second phase of the two-phase West Bengal Assembly elections. But this time we are voting without fear, thanks to the security arrangements made by the ECI,' a voter standing in the queue told media persons.
Massive CAPF Deployment Ensures Order
A total of 35 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) were deployed across Falta for the repolling — a significantly large security presence for a single Assembly constituency. The deployment is widely credited with ensuring the orderly, incident-free conduct of polling. With voting set to continue through the day, all eyes are now on the final turnout figure and what it signals for the broader political realignment underway in this once TMC-dominated belt.
Point of View
The party's ground-level grip may be far more coercive — and far more fragile — than electoral margins have suggested.
NationPress
7 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was repolling ordered in Falta Assembly constituency?
Repolling was ordered in Falta after the original poll on 29 April — held during the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections — was marred by irregularities. The Election Commission of India directed fresh voting across all 285 booths in the constituency.
Why were TMC polling agents absent from Falta booths?
TMC candidate Jahangir Khan announced his withdrawal from the contest the week before the repoll, following which the party's polling agents did not appear at any of the 285 booths. No TMC camp offices were operational in the constituency on polling day.
Did Jahangir Khan's withdrawal remove him from the ballot?
No. Despite Khan's public withdrawal announcement, his name continued to appear on the EVM ballot pads, as electoral rules do not allow candidate removal at that stage. His withdrawal was therefore symbolic and did not alter the ballot.
How many security personnel were deployed for the Falta repoll?
A total of 35 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) were deployed for the Falta repoll — a significantly large contingent for a single Assembly constituency, credited with ensuring completely peaceful polling.
What did voters say about past elections in Falta?
Several voters told reporters they had not been able to cast their votes freely since the 2011 West Bengal Assembly elections. They attributed this to the influence of Jahangir Khan, and said the CAPF deployment by the ECI gave them the confidence to vote without fear this time.
