The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday clarified that the discarded Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips found in West Bengal's Subhashnagar area were used for mock polls and were not linked to actual voting. The clarification came after reports emerged that several VVPAT slips were found dumped in a vacant plot in the Subhashnagar locality of South 24 Parganas district, sparking allegations of electoral malpractice.
EC's Explanation
In a detailed statement, the EC said that the slips were from mock polls conducted at a local polling station to test the functioning of VVPAT machines before the actual voting began. The commission emphasized that the slips were discarded as part of standard procedure and that no tampering or manipulation of the voting process had occurred.
"The VVPAT slips found in Subhashnagar were used exclusively for mock polls, which are conducted to ensure the machines are working correctly. These slips are not part of the actual voting process and are discarded after the mock polls are completed," the EC statement read.
Political Reactions
The discovery of the slips had triggered a political controversy, with opposition parties alleging that the EC was trying to cover up irregularities in the recent elections. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had both demanded a thorough investigation into the matter.
However, the EC's clarification has sought to allay these concerns, stating that the slips were from a mock poll conducted at booth number 123 in Subhashnagar. The commission also said that the slips were discarded by the polling staff after the mock poll was completed, and that no votes were cast using those slips.
Standard Procedure
Mock polls are a standard practice before every election to verify that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and VVPAT machines are functioning properly. During a mock poll, a small number of test votes are cast, and the VVPAT slips are generated to ensure that the machine prints the correct candidate symbol and serial number.
After the mock poll is completed, the slips are usually discarded or stored as per the guidelines. In this case, the slips were found dumped in a vacant plot, which the EC said was a procedural lapse but not a sign of any electoral fraud.
The EC has directed the district election officer to investigate why the slips were not disposed of properly and to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future.
