election commission of India

West Bengal opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari has voiced strong concerns regarding the deployment of contractual workers for vote counting in two constituencies, deeming it a threat to democratic integrity.

The Supreme Court of India dismissed TMC's plea against deployment of Central staff for West Bengal vote counting, recording the election commission of India’s assurance that its April 13 circular will be followed. It said rules were not violated and noted TMC agents would be present. The Calcutta High Court had earlier rejected the plea.

Violence flared in South 24 Parganas during West Bengal repolling. Supporters of the BJP and TMC clashed. Allegations surfaced that voters were prevented from casting ballots. Security forces intervened to restore order. Repolling occurred in specific booths following reports of irregularities and EVM tampering. The Election Commission ordered fresh polling to ensure fair voting.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refuses to step down after her party's election defeat. She asserts a moral victory and alleges widespread manipulation by the Election Commission, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Legal experts emphasize the constitutional requirement for resignation following a loss of mandate.

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee challenged the BJP and Election Commission to contest from Falta after a repoll was announced due to "severe electoral offences." The Election Commission cited widespread tampering of EVMs and compromised integrity of recorded votes at multiple booths, leading to the decision for a fresh poll on May 21.

In the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, TVK and Naam Tamilar Katchi are the only parties fielding Brahmin candidates, with TVK's candidates currently leading. Early trends show TVK emerging as a significant force, leading in over a hundred constituencies across various regions of the state, including traditional Dravidian strongholds and Congress strongholds.

West Bengal is on high alert before counting day due to Supreme Court moves, a 15-seat repoll order, and EVM tampering allegations. The TMC has challenged a high court order, while the Election Commission assures security at strongrooms amidst post-poll violence and transport disruptions.

West Bengal witnessed an unprecedented voter turnout of 92.9% across two phases, surpassing previous records and nearing India's highest. This surge, particularly in Kolkata, is attributed to voter roll corrections and enhanced security. Despite a reduced electorate, more votes were cast, with women outvoting men. Officials are investigating complaints of vote tampering.

In a striking reaction to the recent election outcomes in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, the CPI(ML) voiced its dismay, blaming significant voter roll purges for their losses. The party pointed to the BJP’s electoral success in Bengal alongside Thalapathy Vijay’s triumph in Tamil Nadu, asserting that millions of voters had been unjustly removed.

Bengal's SIR tribunals have reinstated voting rights for 1,468 citizens ahead of the second phase of assembly elections, bringing the total restored voters to 1,607. While only six deletions were made by tribunals in this phase, the large number of deletions under 'logical discrepancy' raises concerns.

The high court also said while dismissing the petition, “It is the prerogative of the office of the election commission of India to appoint the counting supervisor and counting assistant either from the state government or the central government. This court does not find any illegality for appointing counting supervisor and counting assistant from the central government / central PSU employee instead of state government employee.”

Tamil Nadu's political parties are still awaiting final election turnout figures five days post-voting, unlike Bihar's swift reporting. While a provisional 85.10% turnout is known, gender-wise breakdowns and absolute numbers remain undisclosed. Major parties have obtained booth-level data, but smaller ones struggle. Officials cite postal vote collection until counting day for the delay, promising final reports then.

Eminent political scientist J Prabhash explains why the Congress-led alliance won so comprehensively in Kerala and why it will need to demonstrate efficiency in governance very quickly

Perumbavoor, a Kerala Assembly constituency since 1957, has seen a recent shift towards the INC, a UDF ally. In the 2021 elections, Eldhose Kunnappilly of INC won by a narrow margin of 2,899 votes. Key electoral concerns include flood management, road congestion, and the welfare of its significant migrant labour population.

Despite early trends favoring the BJP in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged Trinamool Congress candidates and agents to remain vigilant at counting centers. She appealed for confidence, claiming the TMC was still ahead in many seats and alleging a coordinated effort by the Election Commission and BJP to manipulate results.