"No possibility of vote theft": West Bengal Special Electoral Roll Observer assures proper security for vote counting

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 3 : West Bengal Special Electoral Roll Observer Subrata Gupta on Sunday assured that the preparation for the vote counting of the assembly elections is going well, adding that security arrangements have been completed, leaving "no possibility of vote theft."

Speaking with the media, he emphasised that all those involved in the counting process have been trained well and that some state government employees will be present along with central government employees.

"We are fully prepared. There is no possibility of vote theft. There will be no irregularities in the counting of votes. Security arrangements are complete. Everyone has been trained for the counting. There will be central government employees, and some state government employees as well," he affirmed.

Ahead of the result day of the West Bengal assembly elections, security was heightened outside several strongrooms in Kolkata.

Heavy force was deployed outside the strongrooms in Kolkata, which included Sakhawat Memorial Government Girls' High School in Bhabanipur, Netaji Indoor Stadium, and several others.

Apart from managing the security of strongrooms, the security was also increased outside the Chief Electoral Officer's office and the Falta assembly constituency, where locals protested alleged threats and beatings by TMC leaders on Saturday.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed repolling in all 285 polling stations, including auxiliary polling stations, in the Falta assembly seat between 7 AM and 6 PM on May 21. Counting of votes will take place on May 24.

According to Election Commission, directives for fresh repolling have been given in Falta "on consideration of severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process during the polling in a large number of polling stations on April 29".

Meanwhile, the repolling across the 15 polling booths in the South 24 Paraganas district concluded with a voter turnout of 90%. The repolling was mandated by the Election Commission of India (ECI) following reports of electronic voting machine (EVM) tampering and voter intimidation during the second phase of polling.

Polling across 294 constituencies in West Bengal was held on April 23 and 29, respectively, with counting set to take place on May 4.

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