Fresh voting will be conducted in 15 polling stations across two assembly constituencies in West Bengal on May 2, following complaints of irregularities during the recent polling phase.

The Election Commission has declared the earlier voting at these booths void and ordered repolling to ensure fairness in the electoral process.

Where repolling will take place

The repoll will be held in the Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour constituencies in South 24 Parganas district. Out of the 15 booths, 11 are located in Magrahat Paschim and 4 in Diamond Harbour.

Polling is scheduled to take place from 7 am to 6 pm.

Why repolling was ordered

The decision comes after complaints related to alleged irregularities, including concerns linked to electronic voting machines (EVMs). Authorities reviewed the situation and decided to nullify the earlier voting in these booths to maintain the integrity of the election.

Background of the election

The repoll follows the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections held on April 29, which covered 142 constituencies. The Election Commission has taken multiple steps during the election process to address complaints and ensure free and fair polling.

Congress leader Pawan Khera has been granted anticipatory bail by the Supreme Court of India in a case related to his remarks about Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma.

The top court’s decision provides Khera protection from arrest while the investigation continues in the matter, which includes allegations of defamation and forgery.

Case stems from remarks and allegations

The case originates from statements made by Khera during a press conference, where he alleged that the Assam Chief Minister’s wife held multiple foreign passports and had undisclosed assets abroad. These claims were strongly denied by both Sarma and his wife, who described them as false and politically motivated.

Following the remarks, a complaint was filed, leading to an FIR under various provisions, including defamation and related charges.

Legal journey before Supreme Court relief

Khera had earlier faced setbacks in lower courts, including the rejection of his anticipatory bail plea by the Gauhati High Court. He subsequently approached the Supreme Court seeking protection from arrest.

During the proceedings, Khera argued that arrest in the case was unnecessary and would amount to humiliation rather than justice.

What the court’s decision means

The Supreme Court’s order grants interim protection, ensuring that Khera cannot be arrested immediately while legal proceedings continue. The case will now proceed as per law, with investigations and hearings expected to continue in the coming weeks.

The Karnataka government has approved a revised internal reservation formula for Scheduled Castes (SCs), marking a significant policy decision aimed at ensuring fair distribution of benefits among sub-groups.

The decision was taken during a special cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The approved formula redistributes the existing 15% SC reservation into three internal categories.

Under the new structure, 5.25% reservation each has been allocated to the “left-hand” and “right-hand” SC groups, while 4.5% has been earmarked for other Scheduled Caste communities, including nomadic groups.

Recruitment to resume after policy clearance

With the cabinet giving its nod, the government is expected to restart long-pending recruitment processes. Officials indicated that fresh notifications will be issued under the revised quota system, allowing hiring to move forward.

The move is expected to unlock thousands of government job vacancies that had been on hold due to the absence of clarity on internal reservation.

Decision shaped by legal constraints

The revised quota formula has been structured to comply with the Supreme Court-mandated 50% ceiling on total reservations. Earlier, the state had proposed increasing the SC quota to 17% and Scheduled Tribes (ST) quota to 7%, but this could not be implemented due to legal limitations.

As a result, the government retained the SC reservation at 15% and proportionately adjusted the internal distribution among sub-categories.

Shift from earlier quota structure

The new formula replaces the earlier proposed 6:6:5 distribution model. The cabinet revised these figures proportionately to align with the 15% cap, resulting in the current 5.25:5.25:4.5 structure.

The classification divides SC communities into three groups to address disparities in access to reservation benefits across sub-castes.

Aim to ensure equitable representation

The government has said the decision is intended to bring more balance and fairness in reservation benefits among different SC communities. The categorisation is expected to improve representation of relatively underrepresented groups within the SC category.

The cabinet’s approval is seen as a key step in addressing long-standing demands for internal reservation among Scheduled Castes in the state.