Mamata Vs EC: Bhabanipur Turns Into Warzone Over ‘EVM Manipulation’ Row, Showdown Ends In Anti-Climax

Last Updated:May 01, 2026, 11:28 IST

Mamata Banerjee and TMC alleged EVM tampering in Kolkata strongrooms, staged protests, but Election Commission rejected charges.

A day after the violence-filled second phase of polling in West Bengal ended, Bhabanipur – the battleground of West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari – saw a high-voltage drama unfold over EVM manipulation charges on Thursday night.

However, the charges fizzled out after the Election Commission rejected the allegations in a press conference.

The controversy erupted after TMC alleged suspicious movement inside Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in central Kolkata, where EVMs from all seven North Kolkata Assembly seats are kept.

The chief minister walked into an EVM holding centre in Bhabanipur after TMC circulated a video alleging major lapses in the handling of election materials at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in Kolkata. The party accused the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and the Election Commission of working in tandem.

The party, in a sharply worded post, said that the footage showed ballot boxes being opened by people without the presence of authorised representatives and stated that this is a serious breach.

They stated that the BJP and the Election Commission are both involved in electoral malpractice.

By the time the alleged video was circulated at around 8:30 pm, TMC candidates Sashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh had reached the site and started staging a sit-in outside Netaji Indoor Stadium.

Mamata Reaches Bhabanipur Strongroom

As news spread that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was on her way, Trinamool workers began to swell in large numbers.

However, the chief minister went to the strongroom at Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata, where she remained for nearly four hours.

Stating that her party has received reports of EVM tampering in various parts of the state,  Banerjee said, “There is a strong room here for EVMs. We found that in many places, manipulation is taking place. When I saw the CCTV on TV, I thought I should also go and see it. Initially, the Central Forces wouldn’t let me enter. But according to our election rules, the candidate and election agent of any party are allowed up to the sealed room."

She further alleged the Election Commission of India of bias, and said, “Our agent has been arrested; there has been so much one-sidedness. Even after that, if someone tries to steal the EVM machine, if someone tries to steal the counting, then we will fight life and death together."

At the same time, State Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal stated that the chief minister was not a candidate or authorised agent for North Kolkata seats and hence, she is not allowed to enter the facility, where the allegations of tampering had surfaced.

Tension prevailed outside Netaji Indoor Stadium as BJP candidates Tapas Roy and Santosh Kumar Pathak raised objections to the gathering of TMC leaders and supporters near the site.

Inside North Kolkata’s Strongroom

After the TMC tweeted the video of alleged suspicious movement, party candidate Kunal Ghosh said that their candidates were at the strongroom till 3:30 pm. He added that they were asked to evacuate the place, and it was then reopened around 4 pm.

Ghosh said that he had asked the party workers at the site to check what was going on and was then informed that they had already left. “Then Shashi and I rushed to the strongroom, but we were not being allowed to enter," Ghosh said, while speaking to the media.

In the midnight press conference, Agarwal rejected Ghosh’s claims and said that this was a clear case of “miscommunication".

He added that they had informed the candidates of the concerned Assembly constituencies about the postal ballot process way before.

In the North Kolkata constituency, the protest soon fizzled out after the Election Commission’s press conference. After this, even the chief minister came out of the strongroom in the South Kolkata constituency, where she was for the last four hours .

What Did The Election Commission Say

The Election Commission of India has rejected the allegations, maintaining that all procedures were followed and strongrooms remain secure.

It said all seven strongrooms at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra were sealed after polling in the presence of candidates, their agents, and the General Observer, with the final room secured around 5:15 am.

The poll body clarified that a separate strongroom is designated for postal ballots, including those received through the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS), and said political parties were informed in advance, including via email, about the segregation process.

Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal also dismissed the claims, stating that the strongrooms are properly sealed and that no unauthorised access has occurred.

How Did The Political Drama end?

The Election Commission of India’s late-night presser effectively countered the allegations raised by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC, with officials stating that no evidence of tampering was found.

Earlier, speaking outside Sakhawat, Banerjee had said, “EVMs from my constituency are kept here. Footage of tampering has emerged from places like Netaji Indoor. Outsiders are moving postal ballots around. That is why I came here."

Despite the clarification from poll authorities, Banerjee directed party workers to maintain a strict, round-the-clock vigil outside strongrooms, even ensuring replacements during short breaks.

The developments triggered a tense and chaotic build-up through the evening, but by night’s end, the standoff subsided without any concrete findings.

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