Highlights
- Prohibitory Orders: Kolkata Police imposed a ban on gatherings in seven key counting areas following clashes and protests.
- Political Stand-off: TMC leaders Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja led a sit-in at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, alleging suspicious activities.
- Mamata’s Vigil: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee personally visited the Sakhawat Memorial strongroom for a four-hour vigil after reports of irregularities.
- EC Rebuttal: Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal dismissed all allegations, clarifying that officials were merely sorting postal ballots under protocol.
KOLKATA — Tensions in the West Bengal capital reached a boiling point on May 1, 2026, as Kolkata Police enforced strict prohibitory orders in seven key areas following overnight chaos at EVM strongrooms. The restrictions target clusters around counting centres, including Sahid Kshudiram Bose Road, Jadavpur, and Diamond Harbour Road, effectively banning any large gatherings until the counting process concludes.
The crackdown follows a night of “high drama” at the Netaji Indoor Stadium and Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, where Trinamool Congress (TMC) and BJP workers engaged in slogan-shouting matches and physical face-offs. TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja staged a sit-in, claiming CCTV footage showed unauthorised individuals “fiddling” with ballot-related materials.
In a direct show of concern, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee spent nearly four hours at the Sakhawat Memorial counting centre. After exiting, she warned, “People’s votes must be protected… if there is any manipulation, we will fight”.
However, West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal has rubbished these claims as baseless. He noted that strongrooms were sealed at 5:15 am on Thursday in the presence of agents and that current activities only involve the lawful sorting of postal ballots.
In a direct show of concern, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee spent nearly four hours at the Sakhawat Memorial counting centre. After exiting, she warned, “People’s votes must be protected… if there is any manipulation, we will fight”.
However, West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal has rubbished these claims as baseless. He noted that strongrooms were sealed at 5:15 am on Thursday in the presence of agents and that current activities only involve the lawful sorting of postal ballots.
Conclusion
As West Bengal waits for the final counting of votes on May 4, 2026, the atmosphere remains electric. While the Election Commission maintains that all protocols are secure, the “strongroom vigil” by the ruling party and subsequent police restrictions highlight the high stakes of this assembly election. For now, the city remains under a watchful eye to prevent further skirmishes before the results are declared.
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