Falta repoll: 60.43% turnout in 6 hours as voters defy heat
Synopsis
Falta's repolling is more than a do-over — it is a direct verdict on whether the ECI's intervention can restore electoral credibility in a constituency where the original April 29 vote was scrapped over malpractice complaints. With TMC absent and 35 CAPF companies deployed, a 60%-plus turnout by 1 pm signals that voters are determined to be heard this time.
Key Takeaways
60.43 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 1 pm in the Falta Assembly Constituency repoll on 21 May .
Officials expect the final turnout to cross 90 per cent , matching the two-phase Assembly poll average.
285 polling booths saw long queues despite intense summer heat; polling began at 7 am .
35 companies of CAPF were deployed — an unusually large security cover for a single constituency.
TMC candidate Jahangir Khan announced withdrawal last week, but his name remained on the EVM; the party was absent from the ground.
Results are due on 24 May ; the original poll on 29 April was scrapped by the ECI over malpractice complaints.
A 60.43 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 1 pm IST on Thursday, 21 May in the repolling for the Falta Assembly Constituency in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal — a pace that officials said puts the final tally firmly on course to cross 90 per cent. The repolling was ordered by the Election Commission of India (ECI) after widespread complaints of electoral malpractice during the original poll held on 29 April.
Voting Atmosphere on the Ground
Despite scorching summer heat, long queues stretched outside all 285 polling booths from the moment voting opened at 7 am. Voters waited patiently for their turn, and the atmosphere remained calm throughout the morning session. 35 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) — a notably heavy deployment for a single Assembly seat — maintained a strict vigil across the constituency.
Officials Confident of Record Turnout
An official from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, noted that the steady, high polling rate mirrored the pattern seen during the two-phase Assembly elections held on 23 April and 29 April. 'With 60.43 per cent of polling recorded till 1 pm and five hours of polling time still left, we are confident that the final polling percentage will surely cross the 90 mark, which was witnessed in the two phases of Assembly polls last month,' the official said.
Trinamool Congress Absent, Other Parties Present
Notably, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) — the previous ruling party in the state — was conspicuously absent from the polling scene. The party's candidate, Jahangir Khan, had announced his withdrawal from the contest last week; however, his name continued to appear on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) on Thursday, making the withdrawal symbolic rather than official. Polling agents of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], and the Indian National Congress were present across all booths.
Why Repolling Was Ordered
The original polling for the Falta seat took place on 29 April. Following a flood of complaints alleging large-scale electoral irregularities, the ECI took the rare step of ordering a full constituency repoll — a decision that itself underscores the gravity of the alleged malpractice. This comes amid heightened scrutiny of electoral conduct in West Bengal, where multiple constituencies reported incidents during the recently concluded Assembly election cycle.
What Happens Next
Results of the Falta repolling are scheduled to be declared on 24 May. With TMC effectively sidelined and heavy central security in place, the outcome is being watched closely as a test of whether a clean, supervised poll can produce a different verdict from the contested original.
Point of View
It will sharpen the contrast with the original vote and put pressure on the ECI to explain what its monitoring mechanism missed the first time.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was repolling ordered in Falta Assembly Constituency?
The Election Commission of India ordered a full repoll in Falta after receiving widespread complaints of electoral malpractice during the original polling held on 29 April. It is rare for the ECI to cancel an entire constituency's poll, indicating the complaints were considered serious enough to warrant a fresh vote.
What was the voter turnout in the Falta repoll?
A 60.43 per cent turnout was recorded till 1 pm on 21 May, with five hours of polling still remaining. Officials from the Chief Electoral Officer's office expressed confidence that the final figure would cross 90 per cent.
When will the Falta repoll results be declared?
The results of the Falta Assembly Constituency repolling are scheduled to be declared on 24 May.
Why was Trinamool Congress absent from the Falta repoll?
TMC candidate Jahangir Khan announced last week that he was withdrawing from the contest, and the party was absent from polling booths on repoll day. However, his withdrawal was symbolic — his name continued to appear on the EVM as per election rules, since the deadline for formal withdrawal had passed.
How much security was deployed for the Falta repoll?
35 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces were deployed across the Falta constituency for the repoll — a significantly large security presence for a single Assembly seat, reflecting the sensitivity of the exercise after the malpractice complaints.
