Kolkata: Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has raised serious questions over the counting process in the Falta Assembly repoll result, demanding an independent CCTV audit and accountability from the Election Commission. His remarks came after the results of the Falta repolling were declared, triggering a fresh political confrontation in West Bengal.
According to the report, Banerjee alleged that all 21 rounds of counting were completed by 3.30 pm on Sunday, while on May 4, only two to four rounds had been completed by the same time. Citing this sharp difference, he questioned the Election Commission and sought an explanation over the pace and manner of counting.
The TMC leader also alleged that in the last 10 days, more than a thousand party workers from the Falta Assembly constituency were forced to leave their homes. He claimed that despite these developments, the Election Commission did not take any meaningful action. He further alleged that party offices were openly vandalised even when the Model Code of Conduct was in force.
Banerjee also referred to the appointment of a senior officer as West Bengal’s Chief Secretary. According to his statement, the officer had earlier faced allegations related to deletion of names from the voter list and influencing the election process. He questioned the timing of the appointment, saying it took place when the Model Code of Conduct was still in force in Falta and the election process had not been completed.
In a post on X, Banerjee alleged that on May 4, officials deployed under the Election Commission and central forces removed TMC and other parties’ agents from the counting centre, while BJP agents were allegedly allowed to remain inside. He described these incidents as a serious threat to a free and fair election process.
Banerjee demanded action against the officials allegedly involved and called for an independent CCTV audit of the counting process. He said such a step was necessary to answer questions being raised over the credibility of the result. He also remarked that the truth could not be suppressed forever.
The allegations are likely to deepen the political dispute around the Falta result. While the TMC has questioned the process, the matter will now depend on whether the Election Commission responds and whether the party pursues the issue through legal or institutional channels.