Three sealed ballot boxes were found in a classroom of a high school in Malda on Tuesday where a counting centre was set up during the recent panchayat elections.
Interestingly, the sealed boxes were used in a booth where re-polling was conducted on July 10 as the BJP had alleged that some of the boxes, which were used during the elections on July 8 in the booths of a panchayat in Gazole block of the district, have gone missing.
The party had also accused the block administration and the police of acting at the behest of Trinamul and allowing the party’s cadres to rig the polling by putting fresh ballots in some boxes at the distribution and receiving centre, which later doubled up as a counting centre.
Today, as authorities of Hazi Naku Mohammad High School in Gazole entered a classroom, they found the sealed boxes. They informed the block administration and soon, a team from the local BDO office reached the school. Accompanied by central forces, they took the boxes to the block office.
As the news spread, a group of BJP supporters led by Khagen Murmu, the MP of Malda north seat and Chinmoy Deb Barman, the BJP MLA of Gazole, reached the school.
BJP MP Khagen Murmu at the entrance to the BDO office in Gazole on Tuesday Picture by Soumya De Sarkar
After some time, they reached the BDO office and resorted to protests, alleging that the block administration had indulged in malpractices at the counting centre to help the ruling party of the state.
Sources said on July 8, Murmu, along with some others, reached in front of the school and launched a protest. He alleged that some ballot boxes went missing from booths of the Salaidanga panchayat of Gazole block.
“Also, we have come to know that Trinamul workers have entered the counting centre and are putting ballots in boxes to ensure that their candidates win,” the MP had said.
As BJP continued the demonstration, administrative officials assured that they would look into the issue. Later, a re-poll was ordered by the state election commission in booth number 83 of the panchayat.
The repolling was held and on July 11, as the results were announced, it was found that the Trinamul candidate had won by 123 votes.
“It is surprising that the administration announced the Trinamul candidate as a winner whereas the ballot boxes were found sealed even today. We suspect there has been malpractice. The administration should come up with a clarification,” said Murmu.
Another BJP leader pointed out that if these are the ballot boxes which were used on July 8, then why re-polling was ordered in the booth.
“If that is true, then it appears that Trinamul was apprehensive of losing the seat. That is why re-polling was ordered,” said the leader.
As BJP continued its protests in front of the BDO office, Ushnata Moktan, the BDO, left the office through another entrance, escorted by central forces. Later, the demonstrators left the spot.
Officials of the district administration are tight-lipped over the issue. None of them were ready to make comments.
Ballots found
In Murshidabad, some ballots bearing stamps against the Congress’ symbol were found in a jute field on Tuesday.
Sources said some locals spotted the ballots in the field that is close to Joykrishnapur High School in Samserganj. A counting centre was set up in the school during the rural polls.
As the news spread, the school authorities searched the school and found charred remains of some ballot papers in the dustbins of the institution. Such recovery of ballots left the Congress supporters irked. At around 2pm, a section of them walked into NH 12 and raised a blockade. Police and administrative officials reached the spot and could persuade them to withdraw after an hour.
On Monday, residents of Bainchi in Hooghly had found some ballots in a local pond, next to the campus of a private engineering college which had doubled as a counting centre during the polls. A team from Pandua police station has visited the spot and a probe has been initiated, said sources.
