The Election Commission of India (ECI) dismissed claims made by the Trinamool Congress regarding VVPAT paper slips found near a petrol pump in Madhyamgram, West Bengal. The Trinamool Congress had filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal and provided a video as evidence. However, the District Magistrate (DM) of North 24 Parganas clarified that the VVPAT slips in the video were from a mock poll, not the actual polling process.
The DM/DEO stated that the VVPAT slips shown were used in a mock poll conducted before the election day, not during the actual polling. This mock poll is a necessary procedure to demonstrate to polling agents how votes are recorded when a candidate’s button on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) is pressed. An investigation has been initiated to verify the situation and take appropriate action.
All Assembly constituencies in North 24 Parganas, including Noyapara, participated in the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections on April 29. Vote counting is scheduled to commence on Monday at 8 a.m., with trends expected to be clear by noon. The West Bengal elections were held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, witnessing a high voter turnout of nearly 93 percent.
