May 2, 2026 — The Falta Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas has emerged as the epicenter of a major electoral controversy following the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly Elections. Despite heavy central force deployment and the presence of a high-profile "Dabangg" police observer, the Election Commission (EC) has prima facie confirmed widespread EVM tampering in the region, leaving the fate of dozens of polling booths hanging in the balance just days before the scheduled May 4 vote counting.
The EVM Taping Controversy
The controversy erupted during polling on April 29, when the BJP alleged that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were systematically rigged to block votes for opposition candidates. According to BJP candidate Debangshu Panda, tape, adhesive substances, ink, and even perfume were used to cover the BJP symbol and the CPM candidate's name on the voting panels.
BJP's national IT cell chief Amit Malviya amplified the allegations by sharing videos of the compromised EVMs at booths such as No. 170. Similar incidents of cellophane tape being used on EVMs were also reported at Booth No. 144, Booth No. 177 (Devipur area), and even outside the district at Booth No. 35 in the Monteswar constituency.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC), represented in Falta by candidate Jahangir Khan, vehemently denied the tampering charges, accusing the BJP of spreading panic and manufacturing a false narrative. Falta is part of the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, a well-known TMC stronghold, which has only heightened the political stakes.
The 'Singham' vs. 'Pushpa' Face-off
The scale of the alleged fraud has raised serious questions about security measures, particularly given the EC's deployment of IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma. A 2011-batch UP cadre officer known as an "encounter specialist" and dubbed the "Dabangg Officer," Sharma was specifically brought in as the police observer for South 24 Parganas to deter voter intimidation.
Prior to polling day, a viral video showed Sharma sternly warning associates and family members of TMC candidate Jahangir Khan that strict action would be taken against any disruptions. Khan publicly pushed back against the officer's approach, declaring, "This is Bengal; if he is 'Singham', I am 'Pushpa'."
Despite Sharma's hardline stance, CCTV surveillance, and digital monitoring, the perpetrators successfully bypassed security protocols to tamper with the machines, leading the BJP to label the election a "big fraud."
EC Probe Findings and Current Status
Following massive outrage, the Election Commission launched an immediate probe. The findings have revealed a concentrated effort to compromise the electoral process in South 24 Parganas.
Key findings from the EC investigation:
Total Complaints: 77 EVM tampering complaints were filed across South 24 Parganas.
Prima Facie Confirmation: Investigators have prima facie confirmed 23 cases of tampering. Critically, 20 of these 23 confirmed cases occurred in Falta alone.
Constituency Breakdown:
| Constituency | Complaints Filed | Prima Facie Confirmed |
| Falta | 32 | 20 |
| Diamond Harbour | 29 | Pending / Unconfirmed |
| Magrahat | 13 | Pending / Unconfirmed |
| Budge Budge | 3 | Pending / Unconfirmed |
| Total | 77 | 23 |
State Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal termed the incidents "serious" and invoked Section 58(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, to declare polling at the affected booths void. The EC noted that presiding officers failed to enforce explicit April 21 directives requiring all EVM buttons to remain fully visible and untampered.
Repoll Ordered, But Falta Waits
While the EC moved swiftly to order a repoll for 15 booths in neighboring areas (11 in Magrahat Paschim and 4 in Diamond Harbour) which successfully took place yesterday, May 1, a final decision regarding Falta remains suspended.
As of today, Special Observer Subrata Gupta has recommended repolls in up to 30 booths within Falta, but the EC is still actively cross-checking digital records, observer inputs, and ground-level reports before issuing a definitive order. Agarwal has also indicated that if systemic tampering evidence is fully established, a repoll for the entire Falta constituency remains a possibility.
With the statewide vote counting scheduled for May 4, the Election Commission faces a rapidly closing window to conduct any required repolls in Falta, keeping political tensions in South 24 Parganas at a boiling point.
