"We will take legal action": TMC's Dola Sen alleges irregularities in strong room handling ahead of vote counting

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 1 (ANI): Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Dola Sen on Friday levelled serious allegations over the handling of strong rooms, questioning the timing of their opening and alleging irregularities in the process ahead of vote counting scheduled for May 4.
Sen said the Trinamool Congress will initiate legal action and follow due legal procedures, and added that the party has already deployed workers and candidates for vigilance at strong rooms.

The development comes following allegations raised by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in "active collusion" with the Election Commission of India (ECI), is attempting to open ballot boxes without the presence of relevant party stakeholders.
Speaking to the reporters, Sen said, "The Election Commission has CCTV video footage outside every strong room. You can also go and watch it. That is the official video from there. We have not taken or shared any video from our side because we are not allowed to enter inside. So the CCTV footage being shown on the screen has been shared by the Election Commission itself. If that is fake, then it would mean the Election Commission itself is fake. So what is the point of making all these statements?..."
"If a message was given at 4 o'clock, an email was sent at 4 o'clock, and the strong room was also opened at 4 o'clock, how can both happen simultaneously? Can it just happen instantly? This is not something like a miracle. Just because the Election Commission sent an email at 4 o'clock does not mean the strong room should be opened at 4 o'clock itself. At least some time should have been given for everyone to arrive. Waiting was necessary. What was done was illegal, which is why our party protested," she said.
Further, Sen said the party would take legal action and maintain strict vigilance at strong rooms, while defending Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's visit to the Bhabanipur constituency as being in accordance with the law.
"Mamata Banerjee is the candidate from Bhabanipur and also our Chief Minister. She is still our Chief Minister. She had gone to the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency as a candidate... As per the law, she had entered there as a candidate along with her Chief Election Agent," she said.
"We will take legal action, our party is prepared, and we are committed to following legal procedures. All our party workers and candidates will remain on vigilance at every strong room. They were already present earlier, and now this will be strengthened further," Sen further said.
A day earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the Bhabanipur strong room in Kolkata and said that her party will prevent all attempts, if made, to tamper with electronic voting machines. (ANI)