The TMC's Jahangir Khan withdrew from the Falta repoll just 2 days before the voting (Photo: Facebook/JahangirKhanTMC).Repolling started in West Bengal’s Falta Assembly constituency on Thursday morning amid a large deployment of police and central forces. According to the Election Commission of India, 20.47 per cent of the electorate cast their votes till 9 am, and no major untoward incidents have been reported so far.Huge voter queues were seen at almost every polling booth in the morning.Jhuma Paul, a 54-year-old resident of the Belsingha area, said the atmosphere in the polling booth had changed.“We are now free to cast our votes. Nobody is forcing us. Since 2016, we had never cast our votes freely. In the last Lok Sabha election, TMC goons installed a camera in front of the EVM. The day before polling, their men came on bikes and said that those not voting for their party would have to face consequences. They were watching the EVM through the camera. Anyone seen voting for an Opposition candidate would be beaten once outside the booth. But now we are voting freely, and nobody has intimidated us,” Paul said.The Opposition alleged huge anomalies during the election in Falta on April 29. After a detailed investigation of the polling process, the ECI decided to hold a fresh election in all 285 polling stations in the constituency on May 21. The votes will be counted on May 24.Announcing the decision, the ECI had said in a release that there were “severe electoral offences and subversion” of the democratic process in a large number of polling stations in the constituency.Meanwhile, the TMC’s candidate, Jahangir Khan, said on Tuesday that he was pulling out of the contest, even though the deadline for withdrawing nominations had passed. Khan cited a “special package” Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had promised for the constituency as the reason for his decision.Story continues below this adHowever, following his announcement, the TMC is not expected to put up a fight, and locals expect the contest to be between the BJP’s Debangshu Panda and CPI(M) candidate Shambhu Kurmi.Ahead of the April 29 election, Khan hit the headlines after ECI election observer Ajay Pal Sharma, an Uttar Pradesh IPS officer known as an “encounter specialist,” searched his home. When Sharma did not find him, he issued a warning to Khan’s family members, which was captured in a video clip that went viral.Sharma was portrayed on social media as “Singham” (daredevil), referencing a Bollywood film about a valiant police officer.“Listen carefully: if there is any mischief, the treatment will be such that crying later won’t help,” Sharma was heard saying in front of Khan’s home. “Jahangir’s family members are here. I am telling them: I hear his men are going around threatening people. Tell him that if this continues, I will take note of everything. I will take such action that even weeping won’t save him later.”Story continues below this adLater, referring to the Telugu action film Pushpa: The Rise, Khan told reporters, “The police observer should inform the local SP if there is any problem. But he visited my home with the central forces. How can he do that? We only bow to people. We will not bow to him. This is Bengal; if he is ‘Singham’, I am ‘Pushpa’. No amount of threat or coercion by the BJP-appointed police officials from Uttar Pradesh will be allowed in Falta.”Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:West Bengal Assembly Election Result 2026