West Bengal Election 2021: VVPATs, EVMs Found In TMC Leader’s House; Prakash Javdekar Calls For ‘Full Inquiry’
Mumbai: Four EVMs and a similar number of VVPATs were found at the house of a Trinamool Congress leader in West Bengal’s Howrah district, following which a poll official was suspended, a senior officer said on Tuesday. The incident happened in Tulsiberia village in Uluberia Uttar assembly segment, he said.
Following, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar while addressing media said that, “Today is the third phase of polling in West Bengal and yet another TMC attempt has been exposed. Last night in Uluberia, from the residence of TMC leader Gautam Ghosh, 4 VVPATs & EVMs were found & confiscated. Machines were brought by car which was on election duty.”
“It’s more serious because today is voting. EC has taken action not to use those machines & suspend the officer. But this may be a bigger thing than it seems. So we demand that there should be a full inquiry of these VVPATs & EVMs found in his house,” Minister added.
It was found that the officer of sector 17, Tapan Sarkar was visiting the TMC leader’s house with the EVMs, the official said. The EVMs and VVPATs were seized and the officer was suspended, he said.
The sector officer claimed that he had 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.
“This is a gross violation of EC’s instructions for which he has been suspended and charges will be framed for major punishment. The said EVM and VVPAT have been taken out of the stock and shall not be used in the polls. Severe action will be taken against all involved,” EC statement.
A total of 31 Assembly constituencies in districts seven in Howrah and 16 in South 24 Parganas are going to polls in phase-III. There are 205 candidates in the fray in this round of polling.
Polling was underway in the area in the third phase of elections. The fourth phase of polling will take place on April 10. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.
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