Kolkata, Apr 30 (PTI) Tension prevailed at central Kolkata’s Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, the counting centre for several north and east Kolkata assembly constituencies housing EVM strong rooms, after TMC
candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja staged a sit-in protest outside the premises alleging electoral malpractice and tampering of the vote machines.
The matter came to a head after BJP’s Maniktala candidate Tapas Roy, accompanied by Santosh Pathak, his counterpart from Chowrangee, reached the spot and confronted senior police officers on why they allowed the TMC workers to gather and shout slogans at the sensitive venue.
With supporters of both sides shouting “Jai Bangla” slogans and “Jai Shree Ram” counter slogans amid heavy showers in the city, security forces had a tough time preventing the post-poll heat from spiralling out of control.
The TMC leaders alleged that Live-streamed footage from CCTV cameras revealed the presence of outsiders inside the strong rooms who were “fiddling with ballot papers” from the machines.
The Election Commission, however, dismissed the claim regarding the handling of polled materials at the centre, stating that poll officials were engaged in the task of segregating postal ballots as per due process and the strongrooms remained secure.
"Party workers and supporters were present outside the strongroom till 3.30 pm. Suddenly, an email was sent informing that the strongroom would be opened again at 4 pm. We contacted our workers, and they said they had left. We then rushed here. Now we are not being allowed to enter. BJP is being invited," said Ghosh, TMC candidate from Beleghata.
"Ballot papers are being moved inside. Yet the CEO is saying nothing is happening. If postal ballots are being processed, where did they come from? If an email was sent, why weren’t we informed?" he added.
The agitating leaders later left the venue claiming poll authorities have assured that security measures at the venue will be reinforced.
“The strong rooms have now been locked and additional CCTV cameras will be installed. Their Live streams will be made visible from outside. With that assurance, we are leaving this spot now,” Ghosh said.
The developments took place a day after the final phase of polls in West Bengal were conducted on Wednesday and barely hours after TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, via a video message, urged party leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil over strongrooms housing EVMs, stating she suspected BJP plans to tamper with the machines before counting began on May 4.
"You must guard the counting centres. If needed, I will also go and guard my area. Candidates must guard themselves. Stay awake. If I can do it, so can you. There is a plan to change the machines while transporting EVMs. Do not take this lightly," she said.
Panja, who is contesting from Shyampukur constituency, also questioned the procedure and said, "The strongroom is extremely sensitive. If it is opened, all political parties must be informed. Why was no one informed?"
In a post on X, the TMC described the "act" as "murder of democracy in broad daylight", accusing the BJP of colluding with the Election Commission to tamper with ballot boxes and EVMs during the ongoing poll process.
In a strongly worded statement, the party claimed that CCTV footage showed ballot boxes being opened without the presence of authorised representatives of political parties, terming it "gross electoral fraud".
The TMC further alleged that attempts such as voter intimidation, deletion of names and misuse of central forces had failed, prompting the BJP to resort to "desperate measures" like tampering with EVMs.
"CCTV footage has exposed how @BJP4India, in active collusion with the @ECISVEEP, is opening ballot boxes without the presence of any relevant party stakeholders. This is gross electoral fraud being committed openly with the full knowledge and protection of the Election Commission," the TMC posted.
The BJP leaders, present at the venue, alleged the TMC was “cooking up a false narrative and lying to the people”.
“I learnt about the commotion and rushed to this place and found TMC supporters howling outside the venue, which they cannot do in a sensitive place like this. They shouldn’t have been allowed to gather here. They verbally abused us. I heard the District Election Officer took the TMC candidates inside to show nothing was wrong at the strong rooms,” Roy said.
Rejecting the TMC's claims, an EC official said, "There are seven Assembly Constituency-wise strongrooms inside the Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra, all of which have been closed and sealed in the presence of candidates, their election agents and the general observer after completion of polling."
The final strongroom was sealed at around 5.15 am on Thursday, he added.
"All strongrooms containing polled EVMs are safely secured and sealed," the official said.
The EC clarified that a separate strongroom within the same premises has been designated for postal ballots, where AC-wise polled ballots, including those received through the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETBPS), have been stored.
"We had notified all observers and returning officers (ROs), and requested ROs to inform candidates and their agents accordingly. The political parties were also informed by the ROs via email," he said.
Addressing the activity seen in the purported video, the official explained that "segregation of ballots was being carried out in the corridor outside the strong rooms from 4 pm, as part of the prescribed process."
Reiterating the security measures, the official said the strong room arrangements were shown to party leaders, including TMC's Panja, Ghosh and BJP's Pathak.
The commission maintained that all protocols have been strictly adhered to and urged the public not to be misled by unverified content on social media. PTI SCH MNB SMY NN
