Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee alleged that Electronic Voting Machines and ballot boxes were tampered with in West Bengal's assembly election strong rooms.

The accusations come at a critical juncture as candidates vie for 294 assembly seats [1]. These claims suggest a lack of trust in the electoral process and could lead to civil unrest or legal challenges before the final results are announced.

Banerjee made the statements late Thursday night, April 30, 2026, specifically citing the Bhabanipur strong-room in Kolkata where EVMs were stored. The TMC alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India (EC) colluded to manipulate the outcome after exit polls showed the TMC trailing.

"We will prevent any attempts to tamper with the EVMs," Banerjee said.

She further described the current political climate as a "life-and-death fight," according to reports from News18.

The Election Commission rejected the claims, describing them as unfounded. BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla dismissed the allegations as a reaction to unfavorable poll projections.

"The allegations are mere panic and drama," Poonawalla said.

These events occurred just two days [2] before the scheduled start of vote counting. The process was set to take place on May 2-3, 2026, with the final results expected on May 4, 2026 [3].

The TMC stated it would take necessary actions to prevent any interference with the voting hardware. The party's concerns were bolstered by a viral video that some reports indicated showed possible ballot tampering, though the EC maintains the integrity of the strong rooms.

“"We will prevent any attempts to tamper with the EVMs."”

The timing of these allegations—occurring immediately after exit polls and just before official counting—reflects a high-stakes environment where the legitimacy of the outcome is being contested in advance. By framing the election as a 'life-and-death fight,' the TMC leadership is signaling a readiness for intense confrontation should the results deviate from their expectations, potentially increasing the risk of post-election volatility in West Bengal.