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Calling the elections in West Bengal and Assam a "blot on democracy," Congress leader Rashid Alvi has alleged that irregularities were widespread across Bengal and not confined to a few locations.
He questioned the role of the Election Commission (EC) and paramilitary forces in ensuring free and fair polling amid reports of unrest in parts of the state. Speaking to ANI on the recently concluded West Bengal election, Alvi claimed that electoral malpractices were not limited to isolated incidents but were occurring across the state. "Irregularities have not happened just at 2-4 places but throughout Bengal. The kind of elections that have taken place in Bengal and Assam is a blot on democracy..." he said on Saturday. Reacting to protests reported from Falta, the Congress leader also raised concerns over the conduct of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers and questioned the inaction of authorities. "If the TMC people are doing this kind of work, then what are the Election Commission and the paramilitary forces doing?... In Bengal, the entire administration is working according to the Election Commission, so if such an incident is happening there, the responsibility lies with the Election Commission..." Alvi added. His remarks come amid heightened political tensions and sporadic protests reported during the second phase of the election process in West Bengal on April 29, with opposition parties repeatedly raising allegations of violence and irregularities. The Election Commission had taken necessary measures to ensure free and fair polling, with the deployment of central forces and strict monitoring mechanisms in place during assembly polls on April 23 and April 29. However, the poll body on Saturday ordered that fresh voting will be held across all 285 polling stations in the Falta assembly constituency of West Bengal on May 21, even as repolling was held in 15 booths in Paschim Magrahat and Diamond Harbour assembly constituencies. Votes will be counted on May 24. According to the ECI, directives for fresh repolling have been given in Falta "on consideration of severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process during the polling in a large number of polling stations on April 29". Earlier on Saturday, the BJP delegation met with West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh visited the Netaji Indoor Stadium, which has strong rooms with EVMs. (ANI)
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