Chaos in Bengal before results come out! 6 officers suspended for opening strong room 10 times, voting on 2 seats today; Top-10 updates

By Samira Vishwas On May 2, 2026

Bengal Election 2026 EVM Strongroom Controversy: West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026 The results will be declared on May 4, but this has created a big controversy regarding the security of EVMs. BJP leaders have alleged that a strong room, where polled EVMs and VVPATs were kept, was opened at least 10 times. BJP claims that the strong room was found open before the scheduled time. When the officials were asked about this, they did not give a satisfactory answer. After the complaint was registered in this matter, the administration has suspended 6 officers.

election Commission Has ordered re-polling at 15 booths in Diamond Harbor and Magrahat West of South 24 Parganas. Voting will take place on May 2 i.e. today from 7 am to 6 pm.

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

10 updates regarding the ruckus on the strong room

1- TMC has raised questions on the transparency of the electoral process. The party alleges that CCTV was repeatedly switched off in many strong rooms. This is a violation of the rules of the Election Commission.

2- TMC said that 24×7 monitoring and recording of the strong room is mandatory. The party has demanded that a complete report of CCTV malfunction, unedited recording and real-time monitoring be restored.

3- The matter has now reached the legal front as well. The Supreme Court has constituted a special bench to hear the petition of TMC. The bench of Justice PS Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi will hear. TMC has challenged the order of the High Court in which it was said that only Central/PSU employees should be made supervisors in vote counting.

4- Kolkata Police has taken strict measures before the counting of votes on May 4. There is also a ban on gathering of more than 5 people and carrying prohibited items within a radius of 200 meters of the counting centre. Strict action will be taken against those who violate this

5- There have been reports of post-poll violence in several districts of the state, including Murshidabad, Malda and North 24 Parganas. Police have started investigation.

6- Earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee staged a protest in the strong room of Kolkata over alleged EVM tampering. Security has been tightened after the controversy.

7- In view of the controversies, video recording of the entire process of taking the EVM from the strong room to the counting table on the day of counting on May 4 has been made mandatory.

8- The Election Commission has issued a new instruction that whether there are security personnel deployed to protect the strong room or candidates or agents, smartphones or video/audio recording devices cannot be taken inside.

9- 24×7 guarding by central forces, CCTV surveillance and ‘double lock’ system has been implemented around the strong room. The opposition has demanded from the Election Commission that internet jammers should be installed around the strong room so that EVMs cannot be hacked wirelessly.

10- Opposition parties (BJP and ISF) alleged that CCTV cameras at many centers remained closed for hours. The Election Commission has called it a ‘technical fault’. Since the end of the elections, workers of BJP and Left parties have been keeping tents outside the strong room and monitoring it 24 hours so that the EVMs are not tampered with.