Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The Election Commission on Thursday rejected allegations by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) after it posted a video claiming that the BJP had opened ballot boxes before vote counting on May 4, and asserted that all strongrooms were secured and sealed.
In a detailed clarification, the poll body said seven Assembly constituency strongrooms at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in Kolkata have been “duly closed and sealed” in the presence of candidates, election agents and the general observer after the completion of polling. The last strong room was sealed around 5:15 am, the EC said.
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The poll panel emphasised that all strongrooms containing polled Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are “safely secured and locked” as per established protocol.
Addressing confusion over the visuals, the commission said a separate strong room in the same premises was designated for postal ballots. It added that constituency-wise segregation of postal ballots, including those received through the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS), was being carried out in a corridor area from 4 pm.
An official communication from the Returning Officer of the Beleghata Assembly constituency in Kolkata had also asked candidates and their agents to remain present and observe the process at the district strongroom.
The poll body said that all observers, returning officers and political parties were informed in advance, including through email communication. It also said all observers and returning officers were informed in advance and instructions were issued to ensure candidates and their agents were also notified.
The Election Commission said that the arrangements and processes were also shown to TMC leaders Shashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh, who staged a protest outside the Netaji Indoor Stadium, as well as the BJP representatives.
West Bengal Chief Minister Banerjee reached Sakhawat Memorial Girls’ High School, where ballots for Bhabanipur, the Assembly constituency which she represents and is contesting in this election, are kept. Ballots for several other South Kolkata constituencies are also kept in the school. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari was on his way to the school where Banerjee was present.
BJP LASHES OUT AT TMC
BJP leader Tapas Roy rejected the TMC’s tampering claim and said they were spreading rumours because they would lose the Assembly election.
“This is just a rumour, nothing else. This cannot be done. They are making such claims because they are going to lose. There is a three-layer security arrangement in place. They can stay there and watch from a certain distance. Everything is allowed by the Election Commission. But the way they are spreading rumours is not correct,” Roy told news agency ANI.
Roy, the BJP candidate from Maniktala constituency, was earlier involved in a brief verbal altercation with police at the site. During the exchange, he alleged irregularities in his past electoral experience, saying, “My last parliamentary election was looted by Kolkata Police. It was looted by miscreants.”
Roy criticised the presence of TMC leaders near a strongroom, alleging that the ruling party was attempting to create confusion ahead of vote counting. He claimed that TMC leaders had entered the premises and addressed the media, something he said was unprecedented. “They had gone in and given a byte. This had never happened before,” he said.
Roy said he and fellow BJP candidate Santosh Pathak came to the site after hearing about the developments and were later joined by Purnima Chakraborty, Vijay Ojha and Ritesh Tiwari.
“One needs to prepare before their defeat. They said something is happening inside,” he said, adding that officials later clarified the situation.
“I heard that the District Election Officer (DEO) took them in and showed them everything. So, there was chaos here. When we reached here, TMC workers sloganeered and verbally abused us. We told the Kolkata Police officials that such things had never happened before in the strongroom,” he said.
West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya said the “TMC has admitted defeat before their defeat”.
“Mamata Banerjee knows TMC’s situation. The government is going out of power but with this, the party will also finish off within a few months. So, this is the flickering of flame before being extinguished. How long will the people of West Bengal see this drama? This will have no impact,” he said.
“Shashi Panja has lost the polls. Kunal Ghosh is a journalist and he, too, knows what the result will be, he added.
CONTROVERSY AFTER EXIT POLLS GIVE BJP EDGE
The controversy unfolded amid heightened political tensions in West Bengal, where Banerjee had earlier urged TMC workers to maintain round-the-clock vigilance at counting centres on May 4. Rejecting exit poll projections, she asserted that the TMC was on course for a decisive mandate and that the party would cross the 226-seat mark.
In a video message, Banerjee called on candidates and senior leaders to personally oversee counting arrangements across all 294 constituencies. She urged party workers to keep a constant watch over the process, saying, “Stand guard. If I can stand guard, so can you,” while advocating a 24-hour monitoring system at counting centres.
West Bengal voted in two phases on April 23 and 29, recording turnouts above 90 per cent amid heavy deployment of central forces. Most exit polls have predicted a shocking BJP victory over the TMC, although some of them have projected a tight contest.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
