West Bengal repolls: Voter turnout hits whooping 86.9% till 5 PM

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 2 : The voter turnout for the repolling across two constituencies has hit a staggering 86.9% (combined) till 5 PM on Saturday, with Diamond Harbour assembly constituency recording a turnout of 87.6% and Magrahat Paschim following with 86.11%
Amid rain, voting is underway for the state assembly elections, with voters queuing up outside a polling station in Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district.
The repolling on 15 booths across the two constituencies, which followed the directions from the Election Commission of India (ECI) after reports of alleged tampering with electronic voting machines (EVMs) during the second phase of Assembly elections held on April 29, is coming to a close amid heavy security deployment.
According to the ECI, the Additional Counting Observers and Police Observers have been deployed to ensure that the counting proceedings are conducted in a secure, peaceful, intimidation-free and transparent environment.
These appointments have been made in exercise of the powers conferred upon ECI under Article 324 of the Constitution of India and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. During this period, the Observers shall be deemed to be on deputation to the Commission and will function under its superintendence and control.
Additional Counting Observers have been appointed to assist the Counting Observers for 165 Assembly Constituencies which have more than one Counting Hall, according to the ECI.
Police Observers will oversee the security and law, and order arrangements around the Counting Centres of the ACs assigned to them, and ensure that the security arrangements around the Counting Centres are as per the Commission's instructions.
However, the Police Observers shall not enter the Counting Hall on the day of counting of votes under any circumstances.
The Police Observers will function in close coordination with the Counting Observers and other election machinery deployed for the counting process.
Identity Cards for ROs, counting personnel, candidates and their agents shall be issued by the Returning Officer (RO) through a dedicated module in ECINet, the official note stated.
Entry into the counting centres shall be strictly based on the QR code-based Photo ID issued through ECINET by the ROs for Counting personnel, candidates and their agents. It has also been directed that no person, except the Counting Observer and the Returning Officer, is permitted to carry a mobile phone inside the Counting Hall.
Form 17C-II containing the results of the counting from the Control Units will be prepared by the Counting Supervisors in the presence of Counting Agents and will be shared with the Counting Agents for their signatures. This process will be repeated if the Counting Agents so desire.
Additionally, the note said that micro-observers deployed at each table will also independently note down the result from the CU display and hand it over to the Counting Observer at the end of each round for cross-verification.
The final phase of polling for the high-octane West Bengal assembly elections concluded at 6 PM on April 29, with voter turnout hitting remarkable numbers at 92.67% (combined). The counting of votes is scheduled to take place on May 4.