Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 1 : Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shantanu Sen on Friday demanded accountability from the Election Commission (EC) regarding a video of a strong room where Electronic Voting Machines were stored in Kolkata.
Trinamool has released a video alleging unauthorised access to EVM strong rooms and claimed . they were being opened without party representatives present. They have accused the opposition and the Election Commission of possible vote manipulation.
Sen questioned why security was tightened 48 hours after voting and insisted that representatives from all parties should be present, implying the need for transparency
Talking to the reporters here, Sen said, "The EC should point out the TMC representative in the video shown... Every party's representative should be present there... If there was adequate security, then why did they increase the security after 48 hours..."
Earlier today TMC MP Saugata Roy raised concerns over alleged irregularities in strong room security ahead of vote counting on May 2 , claiming attempts to influence the process and demanding strict monitoring by authorities.
Speaking to ANI, TMC MP Saugata Roy said, "Unauthorised people entered the strong room from outside. Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja also staged a protest regarding this. Some people want to tamper with the counting process. I also saw that some people from Gujarat were shouting slogans outside the Shekhawat Memorial Girls School, where the votes for the Chief Minister's constituency will be counted..."
He further alleged political interference, adding, "We suspect that the BJP wants to interfere with the counting process, so the Chief Minister has warned everyone."
Meanwhile, Congress candidate from Baharampur, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, stated, "In the aftermath of the elections, we are witnessing violence and tension instigated by the ruling party in certain areas. In some places, our party agents have been assaulted. Regrettably, here in Baharampur--specifically in a locality that relied on a tube well for its water supply--the TMC suspected that the residents might not have voted for them; consequently, in an act of retribution, they ensured that the residents were deprived of water. Only the TMC is capable of such actions."
Earlier on Thursday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjwee visited the Bhabanipur strong room in Kolkata and said that her party will prevent all attempts, if made, to tamper with electronic voting machines.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited a strong room in Bhabanipur where she facing BJP's Suvendu Adhikari in the Assembly elections, voting for which was held last month.
Claiming that her party received reports of EVM tampering in many parts of the State, Banerjee said, "There is a strong room here for EVMs. We found that in many places, manipulation is taking place. When I saw the CCTV on TV, I thought I should also go and see it. Initially, the Central Forces wouldn't let me enter. But according to our election rules, the candidate and election agent of any party are allowed up to the sealed room."
Asserting that TMC is facing a biased stance from the Election Commission of India, CM Banerjee said, "Our agent has been arrested; there has been so much one-sidedness. Even after that, if someone tries to steal the EVM machine, if someone tries to steal the counting, then we will fight life and death together."
West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal has clarified that the EVMs strong rooms are "safe and secure" in response to TMC allegations, asserting that there is no "controversy" in the incident.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission today announced repolling at 15 poll stations on May 2. These include 11 polling stations in 142-Magrahat Paschim AC and four polling stations in 143-Diamond Harbour AC in South 24 Parganas district.