Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary Abhishek Banerjee announced on May 5 that a committee will be established to investigate alleged irregularities in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) used during the recent assembly elections. He emphasised that although direct manipulation of votes in the EVMs may not have occurred, there exists the possibility of the machines being swapped. During a press briefing, Banerjee recounted various reports concerning the mismatch in serial numbers of EVMs observed at counting tables compared to the documentation in Form 17C.

Banerjee claimed that a significant majority of the EVMs, after being operational for twelve hours, displayed a battery charge of 92 to 95 per cent, which he described as improbable. “The machines were used for twelve hours, yet 90 per cent held a charge up to 95 per cent. How can this be explained?” he questioned, suggesting a need for further examination.

He stated that formal complaints regarding these discrepancies had been submitted to the Returning Officers on the counting day, highlighting that these concerns were not isolated incidents but rather widespread reports. The establishment of the committee aims to thoroughly assess these irregularities.

Concerns Over Counting Procedures and Agent Conduct

Banerjee voiced serious apprehensions regarding the conduct of counting agents during the electoral process, alleging that after 2 PM, many agents were forcibly removed from counting centres. This, he claimed, led to an environment conducive to manipulation, suggesting an effort to portray a false narrative regarding the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) lead in the results.

He referenced multiple instances of mismatched EVMs, notably mentioning cases from Kalyani and Memari, asserting that similar formal complaints had been lodged. “Should one opt to contest the election results in a court of law, there exists substantial evidence from various counting centres demonstrating that after 2 PM, counting agents faced physical removal, which is substantiated through CCTV recordings,” he noted.

Banerjee reported that in numerous polling regions, the expected completion of counting was drastically delayed. He explained that while the Election Commission of India (ECI) outlined timestamps indicating expected progress, the number of counting rounds completed was alarmingly low by 2 PM. He alleged that this discrepancy was orchestrated to project an unfounded lead for the BJP.

Election Commission’s Role and Observers’ Composition Under Scrutiny

The TMC leader raised concerns regarding the composition of the personnel present at the counting centres, pointing out a lack of representation from the state government as mandated by legal frameworks. He stated that only central government employees, including Counting Observers and Micro-Observers, were positioned at these centres.

Banerjee highlighted that the Supreme Court had previously ordered the necessity of the ‘randomisation rule’ being implemented, which calls for the presence of representatives from both state and central governments at all counting locations. He argued that the existing setup contravened this directive, potentially undermining the election’s integrity.

Highlighting irregularities in the appointment of Returning Officers, Banerjee protested that state government officials had been replaced by individuals aligned with the central government, asserting that the lack of balanced representation raises substantial questions about the electoral process’s credibility.

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