While you wait... ballots remain sealed inside strongrooms in 7 locations until May 4
Telegraph | 1 May 2026
Your ballot is locked up in boxes and sealed inside strongrooms in seven locations in and around Calcutta, waiting to be counted on Monday, May 4.
Each centre is guarded by a heavy deployment of central paramilitary forces and police, arranged in a two-tier security ring to rule out complaints and tampering.
Strongroom centres in the city and its neighbourhood, and the constituencies whose EVMs are stored there:
Struck off
The Election Commission removed one strongroom from the list on Thursday: Gitanjali Stadium.
Trinamool Congress leader and Kasba candidate Javed Khan moved Calcutta High Court, challenging the EC’s decision. The venue had traditionally served as a strongroom for EVMs from multiple constituencies, including Kasba.
EVMs from the Kasba constituency have been shifted to Viharilal College on the Hastings House compound in Alipore.
The court heard arguments on Thursday, but the order was reserved till late in the evening.
Security
A two-tier security arrangement, comprising central forces and state police, has been put in place to secure the strongrooms.
They will remain under constant surveillance until they are opened on May 4. Central forces are in charge of the strongrooms, while local police are deployed along the outer perimeters.
Counting
The counting of votes will begin at 8am on Monday.
The strongrooms will be opened only at that time, in the presence of central forces and election officials.