Kolkata, May 20 (IANS) Last-minute preparations are in full swing at the dispersal centres ahead of the crucial re-polling for the Falta Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas on Thursday.

Polling personnel are all set, and deployment activities are progressing smoothly, insiders from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, said on Wednesday.

“Continuous monitoring arrangements are in place to ensure that every aspect of the polling process remains smooth, all geared towards free, fair and peaceful polling tomorrow. The re-polling will be conducted under blanket security coverage by 35 companies of Central Armed Police Forces personnel, which is significantly high for a single Assembly constituency,” said an insider from the CEO’s office.

The results will be declared on May 24.

Polling for Falta was conducted in the second phase of the recently concluded two-phase Assembly elections on April 29. However, on that day, several complaints of alleged electoral malpractices emerged from the constituency.

At several polling booths, the EVM buttons corresponding to the names and symbols of BJP candidates were allegedly covered with white tape.

Subsequently, special poll observer Subrata Gupta, currently serving as adviser to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, personally visited Falta and conducted an inquiry into the allegations.

Based on Gupta’s findings, the Election Commission of India (ECI) ordered re-polling across the entire Falta Assembly constituency. Re-polling will be held on May 21 and the results will be declared on May 24.

Already, Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan had announced on Tuesday his decision to withdraw from the contest this time, keeping faith in CM Adhikari’s announcement of a development package for Falta.

However, the CEO’s office clarified that irrespective of Khan’s announcement, his name would remain as a Trinamool Congress candidate in the re-poll and continue to appear on the EVM.

“Polling for the Falta Assembly constituency had already been conducted once on April 29. On May 21, it will just be a re-poll. So, nothing else changes, including the candidates contesting from Falta,” the CEO’s office insider said.

–IANS

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