Daijiworld Media Network – Kolkata
Kolkata, May 1: High drama unfolded in West Bengal late Thursday night after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rushed to a strongroom amid allegations of electronic voting machine (EVM) tampering, even as the Election Commission firmly rejected the claims.
With just two days remaining for counting in the crucial Assembly elections, the Trinamool Congress alleged that ballot units were accessed without the presence of authorised party representatives. Acting on complaints, Mamata Banerjee visited the counting centre for the Bhabanipur constituency at Sakhawat Memorial School and remained inside the strongroom premises for nearly four hours.
Emerging shortly after midnight, the Chief Minister struck a defiant tone, warning against any attempt to interfere with the electoral process. She stressed the need for transparency and suggested that CCTV cameras be installed for media monitoring.
“People’s mandate must be protected. If there is any attempt to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated,” she said, alleging that central forces initially tried to prevent her entry.
Meanwhile, tensions escalated at Netaji Indoor Stadium, where Trinamool leaders staged a sit-in protest outside another strongroom housing EVMs for several constituencies. Senior leaders including Shashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh raised concerns over alleged procedural lapses.
Ghosh claimed that party workers were not informed before the strongroom was reportedly reopened, while Panja questioned why all political stakeholders were not alerted, calling the facility “extremely sensitive”.
However, the Election Commission dismissed the allegations, asserting that all protocols were strictly followed. In a statement, the EC said all strongrooms containing polled EVMs were sealed and secured, and that procedures regarding storage of postal ballots were also duly maintained.
The BJP, too, rejected Trinamool’s claims, terming them “baseless”. Senior leader Tapas Roy accused the ruling party of spreading rumours out of fear, while BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya described Banerjee’s late-night visit as a sign of political desperation.
The high-stakes Bengal Assembly election has witnessed intense political contest, with the BJP mounting a strong challenge to the Trinamool Congress. The state completed its final phase of polling on April 29 amid reports of violence and controversies over voter list revisions.
Counting for all 294 Assembly seats is scheduled to take place on May 4 under tight security arrangements.