High Voter Turnout in Falta Re-Election Amidst Absence of TMC Agents

May 21, 2026

Kolkata, May 21: The re-election process in the Falta assembly constituency of West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district was conducted peacefully on Thursday, recording an impressive voter turnout of 20.47% in the first two hours by 9 AM.

No reports of violence, tension, or electoral fraud emerged from any of the 285 polling booths in the area.

Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan announced his withdrawal from the election last week, leading to the absence of party polling agents at all booths. There were no temporary party offices of the previous ruling party visible anywhere in the constituency.

Khan’s main party office was found shuttered and locked. Once a figure of terror in the Falta region, even the Trinamool Congress candidates were not present at their residences in the Shrirampur area.

In contrast, agents from major political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, CPI(M), and Congress, were present at all 285 polling booths. Temporary camp offices for these parties were also observed operating in various parts of Falta, staffed with the required number of party workers as mandated by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Despite Khan’s withdrawal announcement, his name still appeared on the EVM pad, rendering his declaration largely symbolic.

Voters lined up outside polling booths as early as 7 AM when the re-election began. The heat did not dampen their enthusiasm.

Many voters claimed they had only voted in the 2011 West Bengal assembly elections, which marked the end of 34 years of Left Front rule and the beginning of 15 years of Trinamool Congress governance.

One voter in line told reporters, “My entire family has traditionally supported the Trinamool Congress. Yet, we were not allowed to vote in any elections since 2011. Jahangir trusted only his loyal supporters. We couldn’t vote on April 29 either, during the second phase of the West Bengal assembly elections. But this time, we are voting without fear, thanks to the security arrangements made by the ECI.”

For the re-election, a total of 35 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were deployed, a significant number for a single assembly constituency.