Kolkata | Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday landed up at the Sakhawat Memorial School in South Kolkata, the counting centre for the Bhabanipur assembly segment, which houses the strong room for EVMs of the polls which were held on April 29, suspecting malpractice and tampering of the voting machines.
Banerjee reached the venue in the evening, ignoring torrential rains in the city and was still seated inside till reports last received.
Kolkata Mayor and TMC candidate for the Kolkata Port segment Firhad Hakim too reached the spot but failed to meet the chief minister who had already moved inside the strong room along with her election agent.
“I reached here upon learning that the chief minister has arrived. But I couldn’t meet her since she was already inside the premises, exercising her right as a candidate to visit strong rooms. I wasn’t allowed there. I will not be able to confirm what exactly is transpiring inside,” Hakim said, while waiting outside the school premises.
The development took place at a time when party candidates from two North Kolkata seats, Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja, staged a sit-in protest outside Khudiram Anushilan Kendra premises, alleging irregular activities and tampering of EVMs stored inside strong rooms of the facility, triggering face-offs between TMC and BJP supporters.
In a video message, Banerjee had earlier urged TMC leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil of the EVM strong rooms, stating she suspected BJP plans to tamper with the machines before counting began on May 4.
Kolkata | In the backdrop of reports of post-poll violence following the second phase of voting in West Bengal, Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Thursday directed officials to adopt a "zero tolerance" approach and ensure immediate action against those involved, an Election Commission source said.
Agarwal issued the directions during a virtual meeting with senior administrative officials, including district magistrates and superintendents of police, while reviewing the law and order situation.
"Those who created trouble after the polls must be arrested by tonight," Agarwal said, according to sources in the CEO's office.
Reports of political clashes emerged from several parts of Bengal, hours after the conclusion of the second phase of polling on Wednesday evening, prompting the commission to step up surveillance.
Sources said the CEO stressed that the administration must remain equally vigilant in the post-poll period, as it did during the polling process, and take immediate action in case of any unrest.
The CEO also reminded officials that the election process is still underway and emphasised the need to ensure there are no lapses in security arrangements during the counting of votes and the period thereafter.
Incidentally, the Election Commission has decided to retain around 700 companies of central forces in the state even after the polling phases, officials said.
Incidents of unrest were reported from areas such as Behala and Garia in Kolkata, as well as from various districts, soon after polling ended on Wednesday.
Kolkata | The Election Commission is likely to reduce the number of counting centres for the West Bengal Assembly polls to 77 from 87 earlier, even as questions were raised by the ruling Trinamool Congress over the move just days ahead of counting, an official said on Thursday.
The authorities did not reveal the reason for the move.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, said the number of counting centres was earlier brought down from 108 to 87 about two weeks ago for the 294 Assembly constituencies in the state.
“The number of counting centres can be reduced further from 77 if required. All counting centres will be under CCTV surveillance,” Agarwal said.
Officials said that Agarwal is likely to visit several centres personally.
The decision to rework the number of counting venues just three days ahead of counting has drawn criticism from the ruling party, an official at the poll panel said., Apr 30 (PTI)
In Kolkata, counting for 11 Assembly constituencies will be conducted across five centres, he added.