The Election Commission has almost doubled the security arrangements for the re-polling on Falta Assembly seat of West Bengal on 21 May 2026. A senior election official gave this information on Wednesday. Last month, voting in this constituency was canceled after allegations of large-scale tampering of electronic voting machines (EVMs). An official of the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) office said that eight Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel will be deployed at each polling station. He said that during the voting held on April 29, only four soldiers were deployed at each booth.

An Election Commission official told ‘PTI-Bhasha’, “This time the Commission does not want to leave any scope for any kind of irregularity. Therefore, the security arrangements have been greatly strengthened.” The official said that there are 285 polling stations in Falta assembly constituency and about 35 companies of central forces will be deployed to ensure peaceful voting. He said that the deployment of security forces for re-polling will be almost double as compared to earlier. Apart from this, 30 quick response teams will also be deployed to immediately deal with any disturbance situation.

A senior election official said, “The aim is to intervene immediately even in case of minor disturbances.” He said that the Commission has also tightened the monitoring system. Two web cameras will be installed inside each polling station and one camera outside, while live webcasting of the voting process and surrounding areas will be done.

TMC candidate withdrew his name

“Monitoring will be done from the offices of the District Electoral Officer (DEO) and the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO),” he said. The official said that drone surveillance is also being considered on the day of re-polling. “Three election observers have been appointed to monitor the re-polling process,” he said. Meanwhile, the state police has started action ahead of re-polling.

A senior Bengal Police officer said, “We have arrested several people, including Falta Panchayat Samiti vice president Saidul Khan.” On Tuesday, Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan announced that he will not be a candidate in the re-polling on Thursday. Trinamool Congress said that this decision is Khan’s personal decision, not that of the party. Bharatiya Janata Party has made Debangshu Panda its candidate against Jahangir Khan.

Also read- Big blow to Mamata Banerjee in Bengal, TMC candidate Jahangir Khan refuses to contest elections in Falta.

Evidence of irregularities found at many booths

Earlier, during the voting on April 29, there was tension in the constituency after complaints were received from several polling stations about perfume and adhesive tape being applied on EVMs. The then special observer Subrata Gupta himself visited the constituency and conducted the investigation. It is said that evidence of tampering was found at at least 60 polling stations. Apart from the alleged tampering of EVMs, attempts to tamper with the footage of web cameras installed at several polling stations were also detected. After this, questions were raised on the role of booth level officers, presiding officers, polling personnel and even election observers. After this, the Election Commission had ordered re-polling at all the polling stations in the entire constituency.

Also read- Falta by-election: TMC’s ‘Pushpa’ leaves the field, Jahangir Khan’s name will still remain in EVM, know why?