New Delhi, Apr 30:
West Bengal’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal on Wednesday said the Election Commission will order repoll in booths where allegations of EVM tampering using tapes or ink are found to be true, asserting that the poll panel has a “zero tolerance” policy against such offences.
The CEO said that a repoll will be ordered only after the authorities examine reports from the district election officer or election observers on allegations of tampering with EVMs using tapes or blot of ink.
Agarwal’s statement came following allegations by the BJP that the party’s symbols on EVMs were covered with tapes or ink in certain booths during the second and final phase of polling, which is underway.
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya shared a video on X, claiming that white tape had been placed on the party’s symbol in booth numbers 144 and 189 in the Falta assembly seat, and demanded a re-poll.
“Wherever we got tapes (on EVMs) or any form of tampering with the EVMs, we will conduct a repoll. We will follow a zero-tolerance policy,” Agarwal told reporters.
He said that preliminary checks have not indicated any tampering during the handling of machines by polling officials, including mock polls.
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