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West Bengal Elections: EVM And VVPAT Machines Found At Residence Of TMC Leader; EC Suspends Sector Officer
Swarajya Staff
Apr 06, 2021, 11:13 AM | Updated 11:13 AM IST
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In a shocking development, a reserve EVM and a VVPAT machine were found at the residence of a leader from Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress (TMC) amid the ongoing Assembly elections in West Bengal, reports India Today.
The Election Commission has suspended a sector officer identified as Tapan Sarkar who had gone to the TMC leader Gautam Ghosh's place in Uluberia of Howrah district with the EVM and VVPAT machines and slept there overnight. Notably, the incident came to light after a ‘Sector 17’ election duty car was found parked outside the TMC leader’s house.
4 EVMs, VV PAT recovered from a TMC leader, Goutam Ghosh's house at Uluberia in Howrah district. pic.twitter.com/XcTy1FTMh6
— Urvi kar (@kar_urvi) April 6, 2021
Calling it a gross violation of its instructions, EC said that charges will be framed against the Sarkar for major punishment. EC has also directed the suspension of Sector Police attached to Sarkar.
Sector Officer Tapan Sarkar (in charge of Sector 17 in Uluberia seat) had spent the night at a relativeâs house who happened to be Goutam Ghosh.
— Ritika Chopra (@KhurafatiChopra) April 6, 2021
The EVMs & VVPAT machines with Sarkar were part of the reserve stock. EC says they will not be used for voting today. @IndianExpress
EC has also said that EVM and VVPAT machines have been taken out of stock and will not be used in the elections. Also, General Observer Neeraj Pawan has checked the intactness of all the seals on the EVMs, which are now stored in a separate room in the observer’s custody.
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