West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal refuted claims by Trinamool Congress regarding suspicious activities at the EVM strong-rooms in Kolkata. The CEO clarified that the EVMs from seven Assembly constituencies were securely stored at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra after polling, with proper sealing in the presence of candidates and observers. Agarwal emphasized that the process of sorting postal ballots was transparent and involved election observers and returning officers.
The CEO highlighted that the postal ballots were being segregated in torch-light due to restrictions on electricity in the strong-rooms, a fact misunderstood by Trinamool Congress leaders as “suspicious activities.” Following the explanations provided, Trinamool Congress leaders expressed satisfaction and decided to end their protest at the venue. Agarwal assured that the postal ballots for the Kolkata constituencies were handled securely and transparently, with representatives from both political parties witnessing the process.
