A late-night political drama unfolded in West Bengal on Thursday as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited a vote strongroom in Kolkata amid allegations by the Trinamool Congress of possible irregularities involving electronic voting machines (EVMs). The incident took place just days before the counting of votes for the high-stakes Assembly elections scheduled on May 4, intensifying the already heated political atmosphere in the state.

The controversy began after the Election Commission of India completed the second and final phase of polling, with the Trinamool Congress alleging that ballot boxes and EVM-related materials were being accessed without the presence of authorised party representatives. Acting on these concerns, Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool candidate from Bhabanipur, visited the counting centre at Sakhawat Memorial School in Kolkata on Thursday evening along with her election agent to inspect the arrangements firsthand.

The Chief Minister reportedly spent nearly four hours inside the strongroom premises, engaging with officials and seeking clarification on security protocols. She later emerged shortly after midnight, raising concerns over transparency and warning against any attempt to tamper with the counting process. Banerjee stated that she had rushed to the venue after receiving complaints and insisted that voter confidence must be protected at all costs. She also suggested installing CCTV monitoring systems accessible to the media to ensure greater transparency during the counting process.

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Simultaneously, Trinamool Congress leaders staged a sit-in protest outside another strongroom located at Netaji Indoor Stadium in central Kolkata, where EVMs from several constituencies in north Kolkata are stored. Party leaders, including minister Shashi Panja and spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, alleged procedural lapses and claimed that party workers were not properly informed about access schedules. They questioned why any movement or opening of the strongroom area allegedly occurred without prior intimation to all political parties.

In response, the Election Commission of India firmly rejected the allegations, stating that all strongrooms containing polled EVMs and postal ballots were properly sealed and secured according to established procedures. Officials clarified that the final strongroom closure had taken place in the early hours of the morning and that standard security protocols, including surveillance and multi-layered protection, were in place at all times. The Commission maintained that there was no breach or irregularity in the handling of electoral materials.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party dismissed the Trinamool’s allegations as politically motivated, with senior leader Tapas Roy calling them baseless and aimed at creating confusion ahead of counting day. BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya also criticised Banerjee’s visit, describing it as an attempt to project anxiety over the electoral outcome. Meanwhile, West Bengal’s tightly contested Assembly election continues to draw national attention, with counting scheduled under heavy security arrangements amid heightened political tensions across the state.

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