VVPAT-like slips found on roadside in Bengal’s North 24 Parganas; EC says ‘not linked to actual votes,’ orders probe

On the eve of vote counting in West Bengal, a bundle of paper slips resembling Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) outputs was allegedly found scattered along a roadside in the Subhas Nagar area of Madhyamgram, triggering political reactions and an official inquiry. The discovery, coming hours before the counting day, raised concerns over the handling of poll material and prompted immediate intervention by local police and election authorities.

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Responding to the incident, election officials said the slips do not relate to actual voting. The District Election Officer of North 24 Parganas said, “Upon examination, it has been found that the VVPAT paper slips shown are related to a mock poll done before poll day and are not related to the actual poll conducted on poll day. Further, a detailed enquiry has been initiated, and a formal complaint has been lodged for verification and necessary action.”

Slips spotted by locals, probe launched

Residents first noticed the slips lying along the roadside and alerted authorities, suspecting they resembled the paper trail generated by Electronic Voting Machines after a vote is cast. The Barasat Police District, along with Election Commission officials, quickly moved to the spot to assess the situation.

“The slips need to be verified whether they are original VVPAT slips or are simply pieces of paper resembling those,” a senior police officer said, adding that a joint team had been dispatched to investigate. Officials said the team would examine the origin and authenticity of the slips and establish how they ended up outside the designated system.

The incident reportedly relates to booth number 29 of the Noapara Assembly segment, where the slips were found in Subhas Nagar under the Ichapur Nilganj Panchayat area.

#WATCH | North 24 Parganas | West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026 | VVPAT slips allegedly from booth number 29 of ​​Noapara Assembly were found discarded in Subhashnagar of Ichapur Nilganj Panchayat of Madhyamgram Assembly, a day before the vote counting was scheduled in the… pic.twitter.com/BRWS3aRMdT

— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2026

Political reactions intensify ahead of counting

The development sparked sharp reactions from political quarters, with CPI(M) candidate Gargi Chatterjee questioning the credibility of the process.

“This is the state of the Election Commission. It isn’t the ‘Nirvachan’ Commission. It’s ‘Nirjatan’ (oppressive) Commission… Some slips of my name, some of the BJP, and two to three slips of the TMC candidate are lying here… A worker from our party saw this here. He called me. We called the CEO, but he doesn’t have time for the CPIM… We’ll demand an investigation, and the counting process can’t start till they show us the EVM unit… Most of the slips are of my name… I will call it the Election Commission’s fault…” she said.

#WATCH | North 24 Parganas, West Bengal | CPIM candidate from the seat, Gargi Chatterjee, says, “This is the state of the Election Commission. It isn’t the ‘Nirvachan’ Commission. It’s ‘Nirjatan’ (oppressive) Commission… Some slips of my name, some of the BJP, and two to three… pic.twitter.com/5BTI8cAnDy

— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2026

EC maintains slips not linked to actual votes

Even as the political row escalated, election authorities reiterated that the slips were from a mock poll exercise conducted before voting and do not impact the integrity of the actual poll. Officials stressed that standard procedures are followed during mock polls, including disposal of test slips as per guidelines.

A detailed inquiry is now underway to determine whether there was any lapse in handling or disposal. Authorities said further action will be taken based on the findings of the probe.

Upon examination, it has been found that the VVPAT paper slips shown are related to mock poll done before poll day and are not related to the actual poll conducted on poll day.
A detailed enquiry has been initiated, and a formal complaint has been lodged for verification & action

— DEO North 24 Parganas (@DEO_N24Pgs) May 3, 2026

With counting scheduled to take place tomorrow, the incident has added a fresh layer of scrutiny to the process, even as officials insist that safeguards remain firmly in place.