Mamata Banerjee Alleges EVM Tampering, says if Someone Tries to Steal the Counting, "we will fight life and death together"

Key Points:

With the extensive process of voting for the state assembly elections now wrapped up, all eyes are set on the result day, May 4, 2026, when the fate of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry will be decided.

The West Bengal Assembly election was held in two phases, resulting in an overall voter turnout of 92.47%. Amid the chaos of poll violence, EVM malfunctions, and constant bickering between the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) and its rival BJP, a late-night scuffle broke out between their workers on April 30, 2026.

What happened?

Workers from the TMC and BJP had a brief face-off outside the counting centre at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata after the TMC alleged suspicious movement inside the strong room. TMC leaders Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja protested outside the counting centre and raised slogans, claiming that irregularities were taking place.

See Also: EC Transfers Falta Official, Removes ADMs After Row Over Observer Ajay Pal Sharma in West Bengal Polls

With just two days left for the result day, the TMC alleged that ballot boxes had been opened without any official supervision. Incumbent Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee kept watch over the strong room at the Shakhawat Memorial counting centre, where the EVMs of the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency are stored. Banerjee contested from the Bhabanipur seat against BJP state president Suvendu Adhikari.

The All India Trinamool Congress took to its X handle, where it shared a video of Mamata Banerjee present at the site, where she remained for two to three hours keeping guard over the room as a candidate. She told PTI that they had found manipulations at many places and that when she came to visit, the central forces reportedly did not allow her.

“I came, but the central forces restricted me, I told I have a right to go, as per election rule, candidates are allowed till outside the sealed room. I was then allowed... If there is manipulation, we will fight,” said Mamata Banerjee.

She also added that TMC agents were attacked and that the ECI has been biased against them. She added, “even after that if someone tried to steal the EVM machines, if someone tries to steal the counting, then we will fight life and death together.”

TMC wrote on its X handle, demanding that the votes be guarded, adding, “Make no mistake, this is Bengal. We are not Bihar, Maharashtra or Delhi. We will not play along with your subversion. Every action will have an equal and opposite reaction.” The Election Commission of India responded to the EVM manipulation claims and refuted all the allegations, stating that all procedures had been properly followed.

Hours after Banerjee posted the video alleging EVM tampering, TMC workers held a protest outside the strong room in central Kolkata, guarding it until vote counting begins. TMC candidates later withdrew from the protest after the ECI assured that there was no tampering.

The strong rooms were sealed in the presence of candidates, election agents, and observers on April 30, 2026, at 5:15 pm. Ghosh demanded that CCTV cameras be placed outside the strong room and that a live display be made available to ensure that no discrepancies occur.

[VS]

With inputs from IANS