TMC Protests Alleged EVM Tampering in Kolkata Strongrooms; Election Commission Denies Claims
28 minutes agoPolitics
30LENS
30 SourcesWest Bengal, India
TBNthebalanced.news

TMC Protests Alleged EVM Tampering in Kolkata Strongrooms; Election Commission Denies Claims

Ahead of the West Bengal Assembly election results, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, protested outside EVM strongrooms in Kolkata alleging ballot box tampering and irregularities. They claimed CCTV footage showed ballot boxes being opened without party representatives, accusing the BJP and Election Commission of collusion. The Election Commission denied these allegations, stating all strongrooms were sealed and activities observed involved routine postal ballot segregation. Tensions escalated with confrontations between BJP and TMC leaders at the sites.

Political Bias
67%23%10%
Sentiment
31%
AI analysis of 15 sources · Published under editorial oversight by The Balanced News
Analysed 30 Apr 2026· How this analysis is produced· Editorial standards· Corrections

AI Analysis

Political bias across 30 sources
● Left 67%● Center 23%● Right 10%

The article group presents perspectives primarily from the Trinamool Congress alleging electoral malpractice involving the BJP and Election Commission, emphasizing claims of ballot tampering and lack of transparency. The Election Commission and BJP responses denying these allegations are also included, framing the dispute as a contested political issue. Coverage reflects the polarized political environment in West Bengal, with both ruling and opposition parties asserting their positions.

Sentiment — Negative (31/100)

The overall tone across the articles is tense and confrontational, reflecting heightened political conflict. TMC's allegations convey suspicion and urgency, while the Election Commission's responses aim to reassure and refute claims. The sentiment is mixed, combining accusations of wrongdoing with official denials, and reporting on protests and clashes without overt editorializing.

How 15 sources covered this story

Each source's own headline, political lean, and sentiment — so you can see framing differences at a glance.

SourceTheir headlineBiasSentiment
indiatodayTampering claim, chaos, Mamata Banerjee guarding strongroom: TMC vs BJP in KolkataLeftNegative
hindustantimes'Mamata has brought something in this': BJP workers block TMC vehicle in BhabanipurLeftNegative
republicworldECI Dismisses TMC's Ballot Tampering Allegations, Issues 9-Point ClarificationLeftNeutral
economictimesBengal CEO pushes action on post-poll violence as TMC stages sit-in over EVM irregularity claimsLeftNeutral
moneycontrol'AROs involved in routine segregation process': West Bengal CEO refutes TMC's 'ballot box tempering' claims- Moneycontrol.comLeftNegative
zeenews'Segregation of ballots': ECI rejects charge of vote manipulation after TMC shares strongroom videoLeftNeutral
ndtvVideo Row Over Strong Room Access: TMC Leader Flags 'Unusual Movement' InsideLeftNegative
ndtvVideo West Bengal Polls Trinamool Holds Sit-In, Alleges Ballot Boxes Opened. "Pure Rumours," Says BJPLeftNegative
mintWest Bengal Assembly Elections: ECI issues clarification after TMC workers stage sit-in protest outside EVM strongrooms MintLeftNeutral
theprintTense scenes outside Kolkata strong room as TMC leaders protest, allege postal ballots openedLeftNegative
moneycontrol'Strongrooms closed and sealed': EC denies TMC's 'ballot box' charge- Moneycontrol.comLeftNegative
indiatvnewsMamata Banerjee reaches Bhabanipur EVM strong room, alleges tampering of vote machinesLeftNegative
freepressjournal'Murder Of Democracy': TMC Accuses BJP Of Ballot Tampering After CCTV Shows Boxes Opened Without OversightLeftNegative
businessstandardTMC stages sit-in outside EVM strongroom in Kolkata alleging irregularitiesLeftNegative
thestatesmanBengal polls: Mamata Banerjee on her way to Kolkata strongroom as TMC alleges attempts to 'illegally open the ballot boxes'LeftNegative

Coverage timeline

thestatesman broke this story on 30 Apr, 05:11 pm. Other outlets followed.

  1. 1
    thestatesman30 Apr, 05:11 pm
    Bengal polls: Mamata Banerjee on her way to Kolkata strongroom as TMC alleges attempts to 'illegally open the ballot boxes'
  2. 2
    businessstandard30 Apr, 05:13 pm
    TMC stages sit-in outside EVM strongroom in Kolkata alleging irregularities
  3. 3
    freepressjournal30 Apr, 05:15 pm
    'Murder Of Democracy': TMC Accuses BJP Of Ballot Tampering After CCTV Shows Boxes Opened Without Oversight
  4. 4
    indiatvnews30 Apr, 05:23 pm
    Mamata Banerjee reaches Bhabanipur EVM strong room, alleges tampering of vote machines
  5. 5
    moneycontrol30 Apr, 05:24 pm
    'Strongrooms closed and sealed': EC denies TMC's 'ballot box' charge- Moneycontrol.com
  6. 6
    theprint30 Apr, 05:26 pm
    Tense scenes outside Kolkata strong room as TMC leaders protest, allege postal ballots opened
  7. 7
    mint30 Apr, 05:31 pm
    West Bengal Assembly Elections: ECI issues clarification after TMC workers stage sit-in protest outside EVM strongrooms Mint
  8. 8
    ndtv30 Apr, 05:36 pm
    Video West Bengal Polls Trinamool Holds Sit-In, Alleges Ballot Boxes Opened. "Pure Rumours," Says BJP
  9. 9
    ndtv30 Apr, 05:36 pm
    Video Row Over Strong Room Access: TMC Leader Flags 'Unusual Movement' Inside
  10. 10
    zeenews30 Apr, 05:43 pm
    'Segregation of ballots': ECI rejects charge of vote manipulation after TMC shares strongroom video

Lens Score breakdown

30/100
Public interest0/100
Coverage gap80%

Well-covered story — coverage matches public importance.

Accountability flags

TBN's analysis identified the following accountability dimensions in this story.

  • abuse of power

    This story involves alleged misuse of official authority or institutional position to achieve personal or political ends.

  • electoral malpractice

    This story involves alleged interference in elections — voter suppression, booth capture, misuse of machinery, or funding violations.

Who's involved

Institutions and figures named across source coverage.

Government
Election Commission of IndiaCentral ForcesChief Electoral Officer Manoj AgrawalDistrict Electoral Officer of North Kolkata
Political
All India Trinamool CongressTrinamool CongressElection CommissionElection Commission of IndiaBharatiya Janata Party
Enforcement
Kolkata PoliceWest Bengal Police

Story context

Category
Politics
Location
West Bengal, India
Sources analysed
30
Last analysed
30 Apr 2026
Key entities
Trinamool CongressBharatiya Janata PartyWest BengalMamata BanerjeeShashi PanjaKolkataChief ministerSit-inBallot boxClosed-circuit televisionPolitical partyKunal Ghosh