EC Says EVMs are Secure in Strongrooms, Rejects TMC’s Claims

In an apparent reference to the video released by the Trinamool Congress on its X branch, officials said that all strong rooms containing poll EVMs have been securely secured and sealed. They noted that mail-in ballots are routinely sorted.

Referring to a video circulating on social media, the EC said there were seven AC strong rooms in Kgudiram Anushilan Kendra and all of them were duly closed and sealed in the presence of candidates, election representatives and General Observer after the completion of the poll yesterday.

An Election Commission official said the last safe room was closed around 5.15am. There is another strong room in the same building for postal voting, the official added, where officials store AC style ballot papers as done by different polling personnel and ETBPS (Electronic Transmitted Postal Voting System).

The poll panel has informed all observers and ROs and requested the ROs to inform their candidates and agents about it, officials said.

“ROs notified political parties through postal mail. Voting was taking place in the corridor of the strong rooms containing the polling area from 4 pm onwards. The main polling rooms were securely secured and locked. The same was duly shown to Shashi Panja, Kunal Ghosh and Kali of the BJP,” the official said.

The controversy broke out after the TMC alleged that the BJP was “holding polls without the presence of relevant party stakeholders” in “active collusion” with the Election Commission and said “this is a broad daylight murder of democracy”.