Abhishek Banerjee, a Member of Parliament and National General Secretary of the Trinamool Congress, challenged the Election Commission of India to release specific CCTV footage.
The demand centers on allegations of voting irregularities in West Bengal. If proven, mismatches in electronic voting machine (EVM) serial numbers could call into question the transparency of the electoral process and the security of the ballot.
Banerjee said the commission should release footage covering the time window from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. [1]. This specific timeframe is intended to help verify the integrity of the voting process during peak hours.
The MP said there are mismatches in EVM serial numbers, which he suggests could indicate possible tampering with the machines [1]. He said the visual evidence from the cameras is necessary to resolve these discrepancies.
Banerjee's request targets the operational period of the election in West Bengal. He said the release of the footage would provide the necessary transparency to address concerns regarding the accuracy of the electronic count [1].
The Election Commission of India has not yet released the requested footage. The Trinamool Congress representative said the serial number irregularities represent a significant breach of protocol, one that requires immediate public verification through the available surveillance records [1].
“Abhishek Banerjee challenged the Election Commission of India to release specific CCTV footage.”
This challenge reflects an ongoing tension between political parties and the Election Commission of India regarding the reliability of EVMs. By requesting a specific six-hour window of footage, the Trinamool Congress is attempting to move the argument from general skepticism to a data-driven audit of machine movements and handling.
