Hours before the counting for the West Bengal Assembly poll results were to begin, CM Mamata Banerjee called on her party workers to remain alert through the night, citing reports of alleged irregularities at multiple locations where electronic voting machines (EVMs) are stored, including “load-sheddings being deliberately imposed in various places.”

The CM claimed that she received information from Serampore in Hooghly, Krishnanagar in Nadia, and Ausgram in Burdwan, as well as parts of Kolkata, about suspicious activities near strong rooms. “load-shedding is being done in phases, CCTV is being turned off, and vehicles are moving in and out of strong rooms,” she alleged in a social media post on X.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo urged party workers to remain vigilant. “Just as I am staying up all night to keep an eye on everything, you too stay up all night and guard the people's votes in the strong rooms,” she said.

Accusing the BJP of the irregularities, Mamata said, “ If anyone creates any suspicious situation anywhere, surround them, file complaints immediately, and demand CCTV footage. All of this is being done at the behest of the BJP.”

The counting of votes is to begin at 8 am on Monday. Polling was held in two phases on April 23 and April 29 with a provisional voter turnout of 92.4 per cent.