Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: With just two days to go for counting, West Bengal has slipped into a high-alert mode where parties are contesting on the field with fresh court moves, strongroom vigil and allegations against each other.The ruling All India Trinamool Congress on Friday moved the Supreme Court challenging a Calcutta high court order that rejected its plea against the deployment of only central government and PSU employees as supervisors during counting. Meanwhile, a senior TMC delegation, including Firhad Hakim, Asim Bose and Shashi Panja, reached the state election commission office in Kolkata, pressing its concerns over transparency and process.Adding to the churn, the Election Commission ordered repolling in 15 polling stations across the state, 11 in Magarhat Paschim and four in Diamond Harbour, citing inputs from the poll machinery. This is the first repoll ordered in the ongoing round of assembly elections across states, giving the decision added weight.The repoll announcement, coming just days before counting, has injected a fresh layer of uncertainty into an already tightly contested election. Complaints from other constituencies, including Falta, are still under review, suggesting that the administrative process remains active even after polling has formally ended.At the same time, reports of post-poll violence from districts such as Murshidabad, Malda and North 24 Parganas have added to the unease. Incidents involving workers of rival parties have led to injuries, arrests and ongoing police probes, reinforcing the sense that the electoral contest is far from over.Even the city’s daily rhythm has been disrupted. With over 90% of private buses still deployed on poll duty, commuters in Kolkata faced severe shortages, overcrowding and delays.Meanwhile, as political tensions mounted, the Election Commission moved to assert control over the situation.Chief electoral officer Manoj Agarwal categorically dismissed allegations of wrongdoing at strongrooms, stating that there was “no scope for any malpractice” given the existing safeguards. According to officials, EVM storage facilities are under:
- Round-the-clock CCTV surveillance
- Three-tier security cover
- Strict access protocols limited to authorised personnel
To prevent any escalation, Kolkata Police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS around all seven counting centres in the city, banning gatherings within a 200-metre radius and restricting demonstrations and processions until counting begins.Additional deployments of central armed police forces and senior officers have further tightened the security grid, particularly at sensitive locations such as Khudiram Anushilan Kendra and Sakhawat Memorial School.The commission has also clarified that the movement seen inside strongrooms, cited by the TMC as suspicious, was part of a routine, pre-notified process of segregating postal ballots, carried out by authorised officials.Earlier, on Thursday night, chief minister Mamata Banerjee made an unscheduled visit to the Bhowanipore counting centre, where EVMs from her constituency are stored. She remained at the site for nearly four hours, inspecting arrangements and raising concerns about possible tampering.Her visit followed reports within the party of irregularities at strongrooms and alleged unauthorised access. Banerjee later said she had reviewed CCTV footage and felt compelled to personally verify the situation.Emerging from the premises past midnight, she struck a warning note, saying that any attempt to manipulate the counting process would not be tolerated.The situation quickly escalated into a face-off, as workers from both the TMC and the BJP gathered outside the venue, shouting slogans and confronting each other before security forces intervened.BJP hits back The developments triggered a sharp political response from the opposition.Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari dismissed Mamata Banerjee’s actions as “dramabazi”, accusing her of theatrics aimed at influencing perception rather than protecting the process. He asserted that such moves would not alter the outcome and predicted a change of government.Banerjee, however, doubled down on her position, framing the issue as one of protecting the people’s mandate. She instructed party candidates across all constituencies to maintain round-the-clock vigil at strongrooms, ensuring constant presence and monitoring until counting day.An edgy pause before counting dayThese back-to-back developments have ensured that West Bengal enters the final stretch before May 4 in an atmosphere of heightened tension.The election itself has already been historic in terms of participation, with turnout crossing 92% across two phases, the highest ever recorded in the state. Such high engagement typically points to a decisive verdict, but in West Bengal’s case, it has only deepened anticipation.Exit polls have suggested a close contest, raising the possibility that even small margins could determine the outcome.(With agency inputs)
