Kolkata:
The Kolkata Police have banned gatherings in seven areas where electronic voting machines (EVMs) with votes polled in the Assembly elections are being stored. The action follows the high drama last night at two strongrooms due to the Trinamool Congress’ allegations of suspicious activities.
West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal has already dismissed the Trinamool’s allegations.
The police’s prohibitory orders have been enforced in these areas: Sahid Kshudiram Bose Road, Judge’s Court Road, Jadavpur, Diamond Harbour Road, Lord Sinha Hall, Naresh Mitra Sarani (Beltala Road) and Pramathesh Barua Sarani.
Last night, BJP and Trinamool workers had a face-off outside a counting centre in Kolkata’s Netaji Indoor Stadium, following the allegations by Trinamool leaders. Trinamool candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja protested outside the gate of the counting centre. Workers of both parties raised slogans, leading to a brief confrontation.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, too, had gone to the strongroom at the Shakhawat Memorial counting centre.
Agarwal, the state’s top poll officer, after rubbishing the Trinamool’s allegations, said, “The strongrooms at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra house EVMs from seven assembly constituencies in north Kolkata. After the polling ended on Wednesday, all the strongrooms were properly closed and sealed in the presence of the concerned candidates/election agents and observers. The last strongroom was closed at 5.15 am on Thursday. There is another strongroom for postal ballots at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra. Postal ballots from various centres have been kept there. They were being sorted by the polling officials.”
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