2 hrs ago
Banerjee Demands CCTV Review of Bengal Counting Centres
Abhishek Banerjee, a leader of the Trinamool Congress, says some vote-counting processes in West Bengal should be checked more openly.
He wants journalists to watch CCTV footage from nearly 100 counting centres.
He especially mentioned Satgachia, where he says TMC agents were forced out and attacked.
Banerjee says the TMC was once ahead there but later lost by about 400 votes.
He also questioned why about 4,000 election machines were destroyed in a fire in Alipore.
Officials previously said the cause of that fire had not been established and might have involved an electrical fault.
Banerjee said some machine serial numbers did not match records on Form 17C.
He wants election records, computer logs and authorisations examined independently.
The Election Commission has not provided a response in this report.
Abhishek Banerjee urged public scrutiny of CCTV footage from nearly 100 West Bengal counting centres.
He cited Satgachia, where he said TMC agents were removed and a 12,000-vote lead became a BJP victory by about 400 votes.
Banerjee questioned the destruction of approximately 4,000 EVM-related units in a June fire at an Alipore government building.
He alleged discrepancies between Form 17C machine serial numbers and equipment later brought to counting tables.
Banerjee also claimed deletions and other cases exceeded winning margins in about 150 constituencies, calling for full records and digital logs to be released.
- Who
- Abhishek Banerjee, general secretary of the Trinamool Congress, made the demands; the Election Commission is the institution he questioned.
- What
- Banerjee called for CCTV scrutiny of counting centres and investigations into alleged counting, machine-record and electoral-roll discrepancies.
- Where
- The press conference was held in New Delhi, while the allegations concern West Bengal, including Satgachia and Alipore.
- When
- The remarks were reported on Thursday, October 1; the report also refers to a June fire and appointments in May 2026.
- Why
- Banerjee said transparency was needed because of alleged irregularities in counting, election records, equipment preservation and electoral-roll procedures.
Banerjee and Trinamool Congress allegations
Election authorities’ stated position
Counting transparency
Banerjee and Trinamool Congress allegations
Banerjee says alleged discrepancies require the Election Commission to release CCTV footage and allow journalists or independent observers to examine it.
Election authorities’ stated position
The report does not include a direct Election Commission response to the CCTV demand.
Alipore fire
Banerjee and Trinamool Congress allegations
Banerjee questioned how a fire could bypass intermediate floors and reach stored election equipment, and said accountability must be fixed even if negligence was involved.
Election authorities’ stated position
Officials said the cause of the fire had not been established and that an electrical fault was among the possibilities being examined; an FIR and Special Investigation Team probe followed.
Electoral-roll decisions
Banerjee and Trinamool Congress allegations
Banerjee alleged that Special Intensive Revision changes, including Form 6-related decisions, were made without the knowledge of two Election Commissioners and called for digital-trail scrutiny.
Election authorities’ stated position
The report says the Election Commission announced measures for voters placed in “logical discrepancy” and “unmapped” categories, but gives no further response to Banerjee’s allegations.
Key facts
- CCTV demand
- Banerjee asked for footage from nearly 100 West Bengal counting centres to be made available for journalistic scrutiny.
- Satgachia allegation
- He said the TMC led by about 11,000 to 12,000 votes at one stage but ultimately lost to the BJP by approximately 400 votes.
- Destroyed equipment
- Approximately 4,000 ballot units, control units and VVPAT machines were reportedly destroyed in a June fire at a government building in Alipore.
- Fire investigation
- An FIR was registered and a Special Investigation Team probe was launched; officials said the cause had not been established and were examining possibilities including an electrical fault.
- Form 17C concern
- Banerjee alleged that some machine serial numbers recorded on Form 17C differed from those of machines brought to counting tables.
- Constituencies cited
- Banerjee claimed that deletion, logical-discrepancy or under-adjudication cases exceeded the winning margin in about 150 Assembly constituencies.
- Electoral-roll controversy
- The allegations came amid controversy over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
Quotes
Abhishek Banerjee
Trinamool Congress general secretary and West Bengal political leader
“You do not even have to show it to us. Invite journalists, place the footage in front of them in your office, and allow them to see what happened inside those counting centres.”
theprint.in
“Constitutional authorities must answer legitimate questions themselves and place facts before the public rather than allowing political parties to speak on their behalf.”
theprint.in
Sources
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