Scientific rigging is a term referring to a number of malpractices used by political parties to win elections in West Bengal state in India. [1] [2] These malpractices may include booth capturing, party cadres impersonating genuine voters, polling agents beaten up threatening voters not to vote for the opposition, etc. [2] These malpractices are generally achieved through blatant use of government power and organization of political parties. The term was used by the opposition to the Left Front government in West Bengal. [3]
To prevent scientific rigging the Election Commission of India takes various extremely stringent norms, including a number of check lists, additional visits by officials and even scrutinizing the training of block-level officers. [4]
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Their opponents call it a machine for 'scientific rigging'. But there is no doubt that the unparalleled success of the Left Front in every election in West Bengal since 1977 has a great deal to do with the elaborateness, intricacy and discipline of the CPI(M)'s organization in its campaign to mobilize votes.