The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission (EC), alleging unauthorised handling and sorting of postal ballot covers inside an EVM strongroom in Kolkata, triggering protests and political confrontation at multiple locations.
The controversy centres around the strongroom at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, where voting machines from several assembly segments of north and east Kolkata are stored. TMC workers, who have been camping outside the facility, claimed that eight trunks containing postal ballots were brought in around 4 am and taken into a room allegedly lacking CCTV surveillance.
"We have been demanding that every single millimetre of space where EVMs and postal ballots be under CCTV surveillance. But as these trunks were taken inside, it was clear that they were taken to a room not under CCTV cover. Why should this happen," a TMC member asked.
Tensions escalated at the site when BJP’s Shyampukur candidate Purnima Chakraborty arrived with her supporters while TMC activists were protesting. Both sides raised slogans, prompting police to intervene and maintain order. Chakraborty dismissed the allegations, claiming that sensing defeat, TMC workers were creating chaos outside the strongroom.
The TMC later confirmed that it had formally approached the EC over the issue.
Similar unrest was reported outside another strongroom at Barasat Government College in North 24 Parganas district. TMC workers staged demonstrations alleging that CCTV cameras were switched off for 17 minutes in the morning. The party’s Ashoknagar candidate Narayan Goswami also reached the spot, demanding entry into the premises.
Responding to the claims, an election official said the CCTV system was functioning properly and attributed the disruption to a technical issue. "The 17-minute footage will be shared with TMC or whichever party wants it," he said, adding that power cables connected to external monitors had snapped.
Meanwhile, in Purba Bardhaman district, the BJP circulated a purported video showing a person scaling the boundary wall of the University Institute of Technology, where EVMs were stored. The Election Commission dismissed the claims, stating that the video was old and the individual seen was involved in installing CCTV cameras and air-conditioning units.