ECI Dismisses TMC's Ballot Tampering Allegations, Issues 9-Point Clarification

West Bengal: Amid high political tension in West Bengal after polling, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday charged the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of “gross electoral fraud”, alleging that ballot boxes were being unlocked without the presence of party representatives. The ECI has issued a detailed nine-point clarification denying the charges, as well as the Calcutta High Court dismissed a related TMC plea on counting staff deployment.

TMC Cries Foul, Calls It ‘Murder of Democracy’    

The TMC alleged that BJP, “in active collusion” with the Election Commission, was opening ballot boxes inside strong rooms without stakeholders present.

In a post on X, the party said, “ALARMING This is the murder of democracy in broad daylight. CCTV footage has exposed how @BJP4India, in active collusion with the @ECISVEEP, is opening ballot boxes without the presence of any relevant party stakeholders. This is gross electoral fraud being committed openly with the full knowledge and protection of the Election Commission.”

The party further accused the BJP of using “every dirty trick” in the elections, stating, “They have tried every dirty trick, name deletion, voter intimidation, Central Force terror, cash flooding, and failed miserably. Now, in sheer desperation, they have stooped to tampering with EVMs. But Bengal is not Maharashtra, Delhi, or Bihar. We will not sit silently and watch them loot our democracy.”

TMC leaders also announced protests at the site, saying, “Our leaders Smt. @DrShashiPanja and Shri @KunalGhoshAgain have already begun a dharna outside Netaji Indoor Stadium. Smt. @MamataOfficial will personally visit the spot and take stock of the situation. The people of Bengal are watching this daylight robbery.”

ECI Rebuts TMC Allegations on Strong Room, Issues 9-Point Clarification

Responding to the allegations, the Election Commission released a detailed statement, saying:

"With reference to video being circulated on social media handles:

1. There are 7 AC strong rooms inside the Kgudiram Anushilan Kendra.
2. ⁠They all have been duly closed and sealed in the presence of Candidates/Election agents and General Observer after completion of poll yesterday. Last Strong room was closed in the morning around 5.15am.
3. ⁠All strong rooms containing polled EVMs are safely secured and sealed.
4. ⁠There is another strong room in the same premise for Postal ballot wherein we have kept AC wise polled ballots as done by different polling personnel and ETBPS.
5. ⁠We had notified all Observers, ROs(Returning Officer) and requested ROs to inform their candidates and agents about this.
6. ⁠ROs informed the political parties by mail.
7. ⁠The segregation of the ballot was taking place in the corridor of strong rooms containing polled premise from 4pm.
8. ⁠The main strong rooms are safely secured and locked.
9. ⁠The same was duly shown to Shashi Panja, Kunal Ghosh and Kali from BJP." 

The poll body maintained that all procedures were followed and that the strong rooms containing EVMs remain sealed and secure. Meanwhile, an official notification issued by the Election Commission of India provides further context to the controversy. The document, released by the Returning Officer of the 164–Beleghata Assembly Constituency, clearly lists the names of contesting candidates and their agents who were formally requested to remain present during the segregation of postal ballots.

At the top of the list is Kunal Kumar Ghosh of the TMC, followed by representatives from other parties including CPI(M), BJP, INC, SUCI(C), and several Independent candidates. The notice specifically states that all listed individuals were requested “to remain present and to observe the entire process of the segregation of Postal Ballots at District Strong Room located at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, Kolkata on 30.04.2026 at 04.00 PM.” 

This notification indicates that stakeholders, including TMC representatives, were officially informed and invited to witness the process at the same location where the party is now alleging irregularities.

Calcutta High Court Dismisses TMC Plea

In a parallel development, the Calcutta High Court rejected a petition filed by TMC challenging the Chief Electoral Officer’s decision to deploy only Central government employees as counting supervisors.

Justice Krishna Rao dismissed the party’s concerns that Central staff could be influenced by the BJP.

The court observed, “Only the counting supervisor and the counting assistants will not be in the counting room. Micro observers, counting agents of the candidates who are contesting the election and counting personnel will also be in the counting room. Thus, it is impossible to believe the allegation made by the petitioner.”

It further stated that appointing counting personnel is within the ECI’s powers, “This Court does not find any illegality for appointing counting supervisor and counting assistant from the Central Government/Central PSU employee instead of State Government employee.”

TMC Protests Outside Strongroom 

TMC leaders Shashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh staged a sit-in protest outside the strong room near Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata. Speaking on the issue, Ghosh alleged, “You can watch the livestreaming and CCTV camera of the Election Commission, where a few people are working inside. None of our representatives is inside. They are not letting us in. There is no transparency. They (BJP) are sending their people inside the strong room and tampering with the postal ballots. Shashi Panja and I are sitting on a protest. The party will take further action regarding this incident.”

Shashi Panja also questioned the situation inside the strong room, “Who are the ones inside the strong room? One cannot go inside the strong room. We should have information about what is happening inside the strong room. Something fishy is going on. There are loopholes in the system.”

Security was tightened in the area following the protests.