Bengal CEO dismisses TMC's EVM tampering charge at Kolkata strong-room
West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Thursday, 30 April dismissed Trinamool Congress (TMC) allegations of suspicious activity at the EVM strong-rooms housed at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in Kolkata, clarifying that officials were sorting postal ballots in torchlight — a routine procedure that TMC leaders had misread as tampering.
What Triggered the Protest
TMC supporters, led by state Minister Shashi Panja and State TMC General Secretary Kunal Ghosh, gathered outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra alleging that suspicious movements around the EVM strong-rooms pointed to possible tampering with electronic voting machines. The protest took the form of a sit-in demonstration, drawing significant attention in the run-up to vote counting.
What the CEO Said
Addressing the media shortly after the protest began, CEO Agarwal offered a detailed rebuttal. He stated that the strong-rooms at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra house EVMs from seven Assembly constituencies in north Kolkata. According to Agarwal, all strong-rooms were properly closed and sealed after polling ended on Wednesday, in the presence of the concerned candidates, election agents, and observers. The last strong-room was sealed at 5:15 a.m. on Thursday.
