Kolkata witnessed heightened political tension ahead of vote counting as authorities strengthened security around Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) strongrooms. The situation escalated after the Trinamool Congress raised allegations of suspicious activities at certain counting centres, triggering protests and confrontations.
In response, the Kolkata Police imposed strict restrictions in multiple sensitive areas where vote counting is taking place. Public gatherings have been banned in seven key locations, including Sahid Khudiram Bose Road, Judge’s Court Road, Jadavpur, Diamond Harbour Road, Lord Sinha Hall, Naresh Mitra Sarani (Beltala Road), and Pramathesh Barua Sarani. These measures aim to prevent unrest and ensure a smooth and secure counting process.
The tension peaked the previous night when workers of the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party clashed verbally outside a counting centre at the Netaji Indoor Stadium. Supporters from both sides raised slogans, leading to a brief but intense confrontation. Senior Trinamool leaders, including Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja, staged protests outside the venue, demanding clarity over the alleged irregularities.
Adding to the political drama, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the vicinity of a strongroom at the Shakhawat Memorial counting centre. Her presence underscored the seriousness of the situation and the concerns raised by her party.
However, the state’s Chief Electoral Officer, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, firmly rejected the allegations made by the Trinamool Congress. He clarified that all EVMs stored at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra were handled strictly according to election protocols. According to him, the strongrooms contain EVMs from seven assembly constituencies in north Kolkata and were securely sealed after polling concluded. The sealing process was carried out in the presence of candidates, election agents, and official observers to ensure complete transparency.
Agarwal further explained that a separate strongroom at the same location is used for storing postal ballots collected from various centres. These ballots were being sorted by election staff as part of standard procedure. He noted that returning officers had already informed political parties about this process through official communication, including emails.
Addressing the confusion, Agarwal stated that the sorting of postal ballots took place in corridors under limited lighting conditions. Since electricity connections are not permitted inside strongrooms for security reasons, officials relied on torchlight while carrying out their duties. This, he said, was mistakenly interpreted by Trinamool leaders as suspicious activity.
He reassured that all EVMs and postal ballots remain completely safe, secure, and under constant monitoring. Representatives from both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP were shown the arrangements and given full access to verify the procedures.
Following these clarifications, tensions eased, and the protesting leaders withdrew from the site. Authorities continue to maintain high alert across Kolkata to prevent any further disturbances and to ensure that the vote counting process proceeds peacefully and transparently.
