- By Aditya Jha
- Fri, 01 May 2026 03:07 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Bhabanipur EVM Row: A massive political row erupted in West Bengal ahead of the assembly poll results after TMC chief Mamata Banerjee reached the EVM strongroom in Bhabanipur. She alleged that "manipulation" of machines was occurring at the site, further accusing the Election Commission of bias towards BJP. However, the poll body rejected such claims by asserting that any manipulation was not possible once the machines get sealed. Apart from this, the BJP leaders accused the TMC chief of creating chaos at the "sensitive" site.
What Happens After Polling And Before Counting?
- The Ballot Unit and VVPAT are switched off and sealed with multiple physical seals. These seals are signed by the officials and the party representative before the transportation.
- The machines are then taken to the storage locations under tight security and tracking systems. The poll body has allowed the party representatives to follow the vehicle to ensure transparency.
- The poll body keeps these machines in a "strong room", protected by double locks, and they are monitored by the CCTV cameras.
- The parties are allowed to keep their representatives outside the strong room for monitoring purposes.
- On the day of counting, the seals are opened in front of the candidates and their representatives to ensure transparency.
- The poll body later counts the VVPAT paper slips and matches them with the machine results.
Can EVM Machines Be Tempered?
- The Election Commission, on several occasions, has asserted that the EVM machines are "secure and tamper-proof"
- It stated that these machines are not linked to the internet, making it extremely tough to hack.
- The poll body asserted that the recorded votes cannot be deleted once cast.
- The Supreme Court has suggested the poll body expand VVPAT verification.
- However, the critics point out that the small sample size of VVPAT slips verification does not show the full picture.