Just days before the vote counting for the West Bengal Assembly election, a major political controversy has erupted over allegations of irregularities in the handling of postal ballots at a strongroom in North Kolkata.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has accused election authorities of conducting unauthorised sorting of postal ballots inside the strongroom at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra without the presence of candidates or their representatives. Senior TMC leader and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien formally lodged a written complaint with the Election Commission.
According to the complaint submitted to the State Chief Electoral Officer, the alleged incident took place on April 30, when a section of Election Commission staff reportedly engaged in the sorting of postal ballot covers inside the strongroom. The TMC has termed this a serious violation of established norms, claiming that no candidates, election agents, or party representatives were present during the process— contrary to mandatory guidelines.
The party further stated that it has obtained CCTV footage of the incident and submitted it as evidence to the Commission. In his letter, O’Brien cited violations of specific provisions of the rulebook, which mandate that any handling of postal ballots must be conducted transparently and in the presence of authorised representatives, following prior notice.
Additionally, the complaint alleges breaches of Rule 27(3) of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, and relevant sections of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The TMC has also claimed that similar irregularities may have occurred at other strongrooms and counting centres across the state, raising broader concerns about electoral transparency.
The party has demanded immediate intervention by the Election Commission, including a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident, strict action against those responsible, and measures to prevent any unauthorised handling of postal ballots. It has also sought access to CCTV footage for candidates’ representatives and called for verification of ballot storage in their presence.
Tensions escalated on Thursday night outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, located near Netaji Indoor Stadium, following allegations of EVM tampering. The strongroom houses Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) from several polling stations in North Kolkata.
TMC leaders and workers staged a sit-in protest at the site, alleging suspicious activity and the presence of outsiders within the premises. State minister and TMC candidate Shashi Panja rushed to the location and, after gaining entry with her official identification, questioned police and election officials over the situation.
Concerns over strongroom security were also raised by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is contesting from Bhabanipur. Reports indicate that she personally maintained a vigil outside a strongroom at Sakhawat Memorial School for several hours to ensure there was no tampering.
Vote counting is scheduled to begin at 8:00 am on May 4, with extensive security arrangements already in place across all counting centres. State police and central forces have been deployed round the clock to prevent any untoward incidents.
Meanwhile, prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNSS) have been imposed within a 200-metre radius of counting centres, restricting public gatherings and vehicular movement.
As the state gears up for the declaration of results, the controversy surrounding postal ballots has intensified political tensions, placing the role of the Election Commission under sharp scrutiny.
Also read: SC upholds EC circular, setback for Mamata ahead of poll results
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