Kamal Ghorui
Kolkata: Just hours before vote counting, over 1,000 VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) slips belonging to the Noapara assembly constituency were recovered from a roadside drain at Madhyamgram near Duttapukur in North 24 Parganas on Sunday afternoon.The incident occurred in the Subhash Nagar area of Nilganj under Duttapukur PS, within the Madhyamgram assembly segment.
Locals first noticed a large number of VVPAT slips lying inside and around a roadside drain near a petrol pump and adjacent vehicle servicing centre. Officers from Duttapukur police station later reached the spot and seized the slips.District magistrate Shilpa Gaurisaria confirmed that an inquiry has been initiated. “Police were immediately sent to the spot after receiving information. We are investigating how the VVPAT slips reached there. The Election Commission has also been informed,” she said.The Noapara assembly constituency falls under the Barrackpore subdivision. Polling in the seat was held on April 29, and as per protocols, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), along with VVPAT slips, are kept in a sealed strong room at Rashtriya Guru Surendranath College in Barrackpore under tight security, including armed central forces and CCTV surveillance. The VVPAT slips were recovered nearly 15 kilometres away in Madhyamgram.According to local sources, the recovered slips included those bearing symbols of candidates from Trinamool Congress, CPM and BJP, reportedly from booth 29 under Garulia Municipality in the Noapara constituency.Trinamool candidate Trinankur Bhattacharya claimed that most of the recovered slips bore votes cast in his favour, followed by those for the CPM candidate. He, too, demanded a thorough probe by the EC.CPM candidate Gargi Chattopadhyay alleged that the recovered slips were not from mock polls but from an actual booth — Garulia Hindi Free Primary School — and blamed lapses in security. “This calls for a proper investigation,” she said.BJP candidate Arjun Singh stated that he would raise the matter with the Election Commission of India.This comes in the backdrop of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Sunday assuring all arrangements have been made for a peaceful and transparent counting process on Monday, asserting that the exercise will be conducted in a “free and fair manner” without any possibility of unrest.Kolkata Police also announced comprehensive security measures even within the city in a bid to stop any law and order conflict, with local QRTs, motorcycle patrolling, and naka and picket checks planned.Lalbazar seniors held a top-level meeting asking cops to keep an eye on the celebrations and subsequent rallies.On Sunday, though, the tense mood remained visible all through the day. The two major parties, Trinamool Congress and BJP, alleged that there were suspected movements inside strong rooms and claimed that there were attempts to use “unfair” means.Trinamool Congress made its first claim regarding the counting centre at Sakhawat Memorial School, the place where the counting for Bhowanipore assembly constituency will take place on Monday.TMC claimed that a white car bearing the BJP logo and the word “Army” written on its rear was allowed to enter the strong room without proper checking. The police later said this was a misleading claim.In Howrah, Trinamool Congress workers and supporters objected to renovation work near a strong room, prompting authorities to temporarily halt the activity.
