As polling concluded for the Assembly elections in West Bengal on Wednesday, the Election Commission said it will order repoll in booths where allegations of EVM tampering are found to be true. Asserting that the poll panel has a “zero tolerance” policy against such offences, West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal said that a repoll will be ordered only after the authorities examine reports from the district election officer or election observers on allegations of tampering with EVMs using tapes or blot of ink in some polling booths.
Agarwal’s statement came following BJP’s allegations that its symbols on EVMs were “covered with tape” or “ink” in some polling booths. Sharing a purported video on ‘X’, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya claimed white tape had been placed on the party’s symbol in booth numbers 144 and 189 in the Falta Assembly seat, and sought a re-poll.
While the EC has not yet confirmed the authenticity of the video, it said that ground reports are being examined.
Reacting to the allegations Agarwal said that preliminary checks have not indicated any tampering during the handling of machines by polling officials, including mock polls, adding that: “Wherever we got tapes (on EVMs) or any form of tampering with the EVMs, we will conduct a repoll. We will follow a zero-tolerance policy.” “If a large number of booths in any assembly constituency report such instances, we will conduct a repoll in the entire constituency. I don’t have exact number (where allegations were raised),” CEO said.
He said that as per the standard operating procedures, the EVMs are the responsibility of the central paramilitary forces.
Agarwal claimed the alleged acts might have occurred during voting. “It seems that when people are going to cast the votes, they are pasting these tapes on the machines. It is not that we will not be able to find it out. We will check how much time people spent while casting votes,” he said, adding, those found guilty will be punished.
Responding to the allegation by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee about “excessive activism” by police and Central forces in parts of her Bhabanipur constituency, Agarwal said security personnel acted as per their assessment. “We can’t say what the police are doing. It is the police’s job to assess the situation and decide where to go to prevent unrest. The responsibility of conducting a free and fair election also lies with them,” he said.
EC said it has received 2,196 complaints of various types so far from 142 constituencies where polls were held Wednesday.
BJP claims ‘victory’ in Bengal polls
Addressing a press conference shortly after the polling ended, BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya also raised the allegations of EVM tampering in some booths. Claiming that the BJP will win with a clear majority in the state, Bhattacharya said: “The Central forces worked towards ensuring peaceful voting here. We will form a government in the state with a comfortable majority.”
Slamming the TMC, he said people cast their ballots despite “facing hurdles” and that they “voted for poribortan (change)” and to “bring back the old Bengal”. He added that people voted “against radicalisation, land jihad, infiltrators and Rohingyas” in this election.
Referring to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visiting several polling booths in her Bhabanipur constituency earlier in the day, the BJP leader said, “The CM went door-to-door to ask for votes, and also made allegations against us… It is the BJP’s success that made the CM head out of her home at 7 am.”
Results to the West Bengal Assembly elections will be announced on May 4.