A political storm broke out in West Bengal just ahead of counting day after VVPAT slips were allegedly found dumped in North 24 Parganas, triggering sharp reactions from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and raising questions over the conduct of the electoral process. The alleged discovery, linked to booth number 29 under the Noapara Assembly segment, was reported from Subhashnagar in Ichapur Nilganj Panchayat under the Madhyamgram constituency area, a day before votes are set to be counted.
CPM raises alarm, rushes to spot
Following the reports, CPM candidate Gargi Chatterjee visited the location along with police personnel and raised serious concerns over the incident, alleging procedural lapses and demanding accountability from the authorities.
Raising serious concerns, Chatterjee accused the Election Commission of lapses and questioned the integrity of the process. “This is the state of the Election Commission. It isn’t the ‘Nirvachan’ Commission. It’s ‘Nirjatan’ (oppressive) Commission… Some slips of my name, some of the BJP, and two to three slips of the TMC candidate are lying here… A worker from our party saw this here. He called me. We called the CEO, but he doesn’t have time for the CPIM… We’ll demand an investigation, and the counting process can’t start till they show us the EVM unit… Most of the slips are of my name… I will call it the Election Commission’s fault…” she said, according to Mathrubhumi.
Questions over process as tension builds
The CPM has indicated it will formally push for a probe into the matter, while also demanding clarity on how the slips surfaced outside a secure electoral setup. The incident has added to the already charged political atmosphere in the constituency, where a multi-cornered contest involving the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party is underway.
High security ahead of counting day
The development comes at a crucial moment, with counting for the 293-seat West Bengal Assembly scheduled for May 4 after polling concluded in two phases on April 23 and April 29. While exit polls have indicated a closely fought contest between the BJP and TMC, predictions have varied, with some giving a narrow edge to the BJP and others suggesting a tight finish.
Meanwhile, security has been tightened across Kolkata and other sensitive locations. Strongrooms housing EVMs, including those at Bhabanipur and Netaji Indoor Stadium, are under heavy surveillance as authorities prepare for counting day.