After Assam, another case has been revealed in West Bengal regarding the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and VVPAT.
Just a day before the Assembly polls in the state, EVMs were found outside the TMC Leader’s house on Uluberia North Assembly seat in Howrah district late Monday night. When the local people informed the police, the election officials swung into action.
Several sealed EVMs were found kept outside the house of TMC leader Gautam Ghosh. When the police and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) officials arrived on the spot, the Sector Officer said, “By the time we reached the Sector Office, it was closed by the CAPF. Later, my Assistant Sector Officer said that we can keep it with our relatives. I did not know that he is a TMC Leader.”
The Election Commission of India has said that the EVM and VVPAT machines were taken to the TMC leader’s residence by Tapan Sarkar, a sector officer in charge of elections, as per a report by news agency ANI. The sector officer has been suspended and the reserved EVM machine has been removed from the election process.
“Tapan Sarkar, sector officer of Sector 17 in AC 177 Uluberia Uttar at Howrah district, went with Reserve EVM and slept at a relative’s house. This is a gross violation of EC’s instructions for which he has been suspended and charges will be framed for major punishment,” the EC said.
BJP candidate Chiran Bera alleged that the incident was part of TMC’s plan to rig the election, a charge denied by the ruling party.
BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said, “This is an old habit of the TMC. It takes time to get over the old habits.
