The TMC raised a strong objection over “highly suspicious” CCTV surveillance at multiple strongrooms where EVMs and VVPATs are stored, blaming the ECI.
Mamata Banerjee’s TMC has levelled vote manipulating allegations against the Election Commission. (PTI)
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday raised a strong objection to the West Bengal Chief Election Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal over “highly suspicious” CCTV surveillance at multiple strongrooms where EVMs and VVPATs are stored.
“This is a direct and deliberate violation of @ECISVEEP own guidelines, which clearly mandate 24×7 uninterrupted CCTV surveillance with continuous recording and access for authorised party representatives,” the party said on X.
This came after the Mamata Banerjee-led party alleged major lapses in the handling of election materials after the second phase of the polling. The party accused the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and the Election Commission of working in tandem.
Today, our delegation met @CEOWestBengal and registered a strong objection regarding the repeated and highly suspicious disruptions in CCTV surveillance at multiple strong rooms where polled EVMs and VVPATs are stored.This is a direct and deliberate violation of @ECISVEEP own… pic.twitter.com/AfVKrtSHR6
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) May 1, 2026
TMC’s List Of Four Demands
The party alleged reports from Kolkata strongrooms indicating disruptions and inconsistencies in CCTV monitoring during sensitive periods, along with Haripal, Arambagh and other constituencies.
The TMC prepared a list of four demands from the Election Commission, that are:
- Immediately compile a complete report of all instances of CCTV malfunction, disruption, or downtime across every strong room in the state.
- Provide full, unedited CCTV recordings along with detailed logs showing all periods of interruption.
- Restore all CCTV systems to full, uninterrupted functionality with real-time monitoring and accountability for every lapse.
- Ensure continuous and unrestricted access to the surveillance feed for authorised representatives as per ECI protocols.
Earlier, Mamata Banerjee visited the Bhabanipur strongroom in Kolkata and spent nearly four hours there, alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission had tampered with EVMs together. She further warned that any kind of EVM irregularities, like tampering with voting machines or the counting process, would be met with a “life-and-death” fight.
READ MORE: TMC Moves Supreme Court Against EC’s Bengal Staff Rule; CJI Orders Urgent Hearing Tomorrow
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India has rejected the TMC’s allegations of vote tampering, maintaining that all procedures were followed and strongrooms remain secure. It said all seven strongrooms at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra were sealed after polling in the presence of candidates, their agents, and the General Observer.
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