Bengal polling officer takes EVMs, VVPATs to TMC leader’s house, EC suspends officials

Mangalore Today News Network

Kolkata, April 06, 2021:      A polling officer in West Bengal took 4 EVMs and 4 VVPATs to a relative’s house, who is a TMC leader, and spent the night at his residence. The Election Commission has suspended the Sector Officer, who took the EVMs and VVPATs and went to the TMC leader’s house.

 

The Election Commission has said that one of the machines was a reserved EVM, which has been removed from the election process for the assembly elections. EC has also said that severe action will be taken against all those who are involved.

How EVMs landed up with the TMC leader

Villagers in in Tulsiberia village spotted a vehicle with an Election Commission sticker outside the house of the TMC leader in the early hours, after which they started protesting, reported PTI.

The sector officer claimed that he reached the area very late and found the polling booth closed, following that he decided to spend the night at his relative’s residence, unable to find any "safe place" to stay.

ECI said, "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 ECI’s instructions for which the Sector Officer has been suspended and charges will be framed for major punishment."

Polling officer Tapan Sarkar slept overnight at TMC leader Gautam Ghosh’s residence in Howrah. Sarkar had the EVM and VVPAT when he went to Ghosh’s residence, where he slept overnight.

The Sector Police attached to Sector Officer has also been directed to be suspended. The said EVM and VVPAT have been taken out of the stock and shall not be used in the polls, said the poll body.

General Observer Neeraj Pawan has checked the intactness of all the seals on the EVMs, which are now stored in a separate room in the observer’s custody.

Assam EVM row

The EVM incident in Bengal comes close on the heels of an EVM being found inside the car of Assam BJP candidate Krishnendu Paul soon after the conclusion of the second phase of assembly election in the state.

Four polling officers were suspended in the incident while repolling was ordered at Ratabari polling booth in Patharkandi assembly constituency.

A magisterial probe has been ordered to determine why a polling team in Assam carried an EVM in a vehicle owned by the wife of the BJP candidate.

Violence had broken out on the outskirts of Karimganj town on Thursday night after a crowd spotted the BJP candidate’s vehicle being used to transport the polled EVM to the strong room, prompting the police to fire in the air to bring the situation under control.

Courtesy: India Today