Two VVPAT devices were thrown into a pond in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, and local mobs ransacked electronic voting machines (EVMs) during the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections, which began at 7 am on Saturday, according to an ANI report.
The West Bengal Chief Election Office says a formal complaint has been lodged by the department official and appropriate action has been taken.
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The Sector Police were a little behind. The Sector Officer lodged the FIR and necessary action was initiated. The voting process in the six polling stations of the Sector takes place uninterruptedly. New EVMs and documents have been provided to the Sector Officer.— CEO West Bengal (@CEOWestBengal) June 1, 2024
“Today morning at 6.40 am, Reserve EVMs and documents of Sector Officer near Benimadhavpur FP School at 129-Kultali AC of 19-Jaynagar (SC), local mafia has looted the computer and 1 CU, 1 BU, 2VVPAT machines have been thrown into a pond,” the West Bengal CEO posted on X.
BJP leader Amit Malviya condemned the incident and declared that democracy in West Bengal is in ruins. “Democracy is on fire in West Bengal. Bombs have been thrown in Bhangar of Jadavpur, angry villagers in Kulti of Joynagar have thrown an EVM and VVPAT machine into a pond because TMC goons are not letting them vote,” he posted. in
“But the worst hit is Diamond Harbour, from where Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and heir apparent is contesting. BJP workers are being intimidated, they are not allowed to sit in booths, their election papers are checked and destroyed… WB police are acting like Abhishek Banerjee’s henchmen, not even Muslims have been spared because a large number of them are voting for CPI(M) candidate Pratikur Rahman, TMC’s ‘secularism’ dies by now when Muslims begin to vote against it,” he wrote. x.
Voting began at 7 am in all nine seats of West Bengal including Barasat, Basirhat, Diamond Harbour, Dum Dum, Jaynagar, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, Kolkata Uttar and Mathurapur.
(With contributions from ANI)