Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition in West Bengal, has raised serious concerns over the deployment of contractual and casual workers for vote counting duties in two constituencies, describing it as a threat to the integrity of the democratic process. Adhikari, who is also the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Bhowanipore, termed the move a direct assault on the sanctity of the electoral process.
Adhikari's Allegations
In a post on social media platform X, Adhikari questioned, "Is the fate of Democracy being handed over to CONTRACTUAL WORKERS?" Referring to the counting orders issued for the 227-Pingla Assembly Constituency and 230-Daspur Assembly Constituency, he expressed concern over the involvement of non-permanent staff in handling sensitive election materials. He asked, "How can ‘Jibika Sebaks,’ ‘Sahayaks,’ and ‘Contractual DEOs’ be entrusted with the sensitive task of handling EVMs, VVPATs, and Postal Ballots?"
Adhikari emphasized that such roles are inherently vulnerable to political pressure and lack the institutional accountability required for a process as sacred as the counting of votes. He called for immediate intervention by the Election Commission of India and the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal to ensure that only permanent government employees are deployed for counting duties.
Allegations of Manipulation
The BJP leader alleged that the move appears to be a desperate attempt by the ruling dispensation to manipulate the final mandate through vulnerable personnel. He urged a comprehensive audit of counting staff in Paschim Medinipur district. Adhikari stated, "The Election Commission of India must act to prevent the ‘Contractualization of Democracy.’ We will not allow the Mandate of the People to be tampered with by those whose jobs depend on the whims of the ruling party."
EVM Tampering Allegations
Adhikari's remarks come amid allegations of EVM tampering in the constituency, with claims that the BJP's symbol, the lotus, was covered with tape at certain polling booths in the Falta constituency of South 24 Parganas district. Repolling is currently underway in 15 polling stations in South 24 Parganas district, including 11 in Magrahat Paschim and four in Diamond Harbour constituencies.
Election Commission's Response
In a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, the Election Commission of India stated that the repoll was ordered based on inputs from the state election machinery. Voting for the repoll is scheduled from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm on the day. The Commission has not yet responded to Adhikari's specific allegations regarding the use of contractual staff.
