Alleging unauthorised sorting of postal ballot covers, TMC files complaint with EC

Kolkata: The TMC on Saturday said it has filed a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging unauthorised sorting of postal ballot covers at an EVM strongroom in Kolkata.

TMC workers, who have been camping outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, alleged that eight trunks of postal ballots were brought in at 4 am and were taken to a room, which has no CCTV coverage.

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"We have been demanding that every single millimetre of space where EVMs and postal ballots be under CCTV surveillance. But as these trunks were taken inside, it was clear that they were taken to a room not under CCTV cover. Why should this happen," a TMC member asked.

Voting machines from several assembly segments of northern and eastern Kolkata are stored at the strongroom at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra.

As TMC activists were demonstrating, BJP's Shyampukur candidate Purnima Chakraborty reached the spot with her supporters, escalating tensions.

Both sides started shouting slogans as police stood between them, attempting to bring the situation under control.

Chakraborty claimed that sensing defeat, TMC workers were creating chaos outside the strongroom.

Later, the TMC said it filed a complaint with the EC over the issue.

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Similar scenes were witnessed outside the strongroom at the Barasat Government College in North 24 Parganas district, where TMC workers demonstrated, alleging that the CCTV was switched off for 17 minutes in the morning.

TMC's Ashoknagar candidate Narayan Goswami reached the spot, demanding that he be allowed inside the building.

An election official said the CCTV cameras were working fine, but the power cables of the monitors installed outside the centre snapped.

"The 17-minute footage will be shared with TMC or whichever party wants it," he said.

In Purba Bardhaman district, the BJP shared a purported video that showed a person scaling the walls of the University Institute of Technology, where EVMs had been stored.

The EC said the video was old and the person seen in it was engaged for the installation of CCTV cameras and ACs.