EC denies charges of tampering
Kolkata:The strongrooms holding EVMs in West Bengal became the focal point of protests after elections on Thursday with TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee urging party leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil at the centres.
TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja staged a sit-in protest at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra on Thursday, alleging irregular activities inside the facility.
The Election Commission, however, dismissed the claims regarding the handling of polled materials at the centre, asserting that all procedures were duly followed and the strongrooms remain secure.
“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,” an EC official said.
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.
In a video message earlier in the day, Banerjee asked party leaders, candidates and workers to remain on high alert during counting and guard strong rooms housing the EVMs.
“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.
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.
“They have tried every dirty trick, name deletion, voter intimidation, Central Force terror, cash flooding, and failed miserably. Now, in sheer desperation, they have stooped to tampering with EVMs. But Bengal is not Maharashtra, Delhi, or Bihar. We will not sit silently and watch them loot our democracy,” it added.
Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Thursday rejected exit poll projections for the Assembly elections, terming them “BJP-sponsored” and “rigged”, and expressed confidence that her party would secure more than 226 seats in the 294-member House.
In a video message, she alleged that the exit poll results were circulated during polling and questioned their credibility. “Whatever is shown on TV is rigged. It was circulated from the BJP office at 1.08 pm on Wednesday amid polling. I got to know about it immediately in a specific information received from the media. Money was spent to ensure the broadcast. It was forcibly stated in a message that nothing can be shown beyond this. The reason is that we can get 200-300. We will anyway cross 226 this time. I have full faith in people for their huge voting.”
She also indicated that she would visit counting centres, including in Bhowanipore, on May 4 to monitor the process and asked party workers to remain vigilant until counting concludes.
In an apparent reference to the BJP, Banerjee said, “Those who wanted to silence people of Bengal with the entire machinery of the union government, from Prime Minister to home minister, alongwith the ministers and leaders from 19 states and money, muscle and force power, fell silent in vote boxes.”
She further claimed that the exit poll narrative was intended to influence markets and party workers. “Share markets would have toppled if the real figures were released. They (BJP) are playing their last game through a section of the media to psychologically weaken our workers and reassure the share market,” she said.
Banerjee urged party cadres to monitor the counting process closely. “Keep a close watch on counting. Stay awake all night. They have plans to swap EVMs. Don't leave EVMs at the counting centres till I address a press conference and make an announcement. They might change data in computers while updating figures by inserting our numbers to their tally and vice-versa. I will also visit the counting centres as a candidate. You have gone through so much. Please bear slightly more to save Bengal.”
Meanwhile, Trinamul Congress candidates Shashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh staged a dharna outside Netaji Indoor Stadium, a designated strong room and counting centre, alleging that BJP and Election Commission representatives attempted to open ballot boxes in the absence of their party agents.
