Three sealed ballot boxes recovered in Malda

Avijit Roy |  MP  |  18 July 2023 | Malda: Almost 10 days after the three-tier Panchayat polls, 3 sealed ballot boxes were recovered from a locked classroom in a school in Gazole. The police and administrative officials reached the spot after receiving the news. The local BJP leadership has accused the police and administration of indifference. 

Later on Tuesday morning, the protest in the form of a road blockade started under the leadership of North Malda BJP MP Khagen Murmu near the Gazole bus stand which lasted for about half an hour. Besides, they voiced their protest by locking the Gazole block office and hanging packets of sweets and black roses. BJP has also alleged that TMC has won booth number 83 of Salaidanga to which the ballot boxes belong to by rigging. 

Dinesh Tudu, the elected TMC candidate of Zilla Parishad, complained: “BJP is suffering from depression. After looting the ballot boxes, they left them there to create confusion among the people. 

Otherwise, this would not have happened. TMC here in BJP’s bastion has defeated them. So now they are complaining baselessly.” The strong room and counting centre for the Panchayat polls was set up at Hazi Naku Mohammadiya High School in Gazole block. 

However, a repoll was held on July 9 due to missing ballot boxes in booth number 83 of Salaidanga GP. 

The electoral agency of the block administration found a classroom locked. These three ballot boxes came to notice when the block administration officials broke the lock of the room. 

BJP MLA Chinmoy Deb Barman said: “The incident shows how TMC looted and terrorised during the elections. BJP has been defeated there in repolls. Trinamool won by rigging this way. 

We strongly protest this incident and blame the administration.” Nitin Singhania, District Magistrate Malda, said: “Repoll was held in that booth over the issue of these missing boxes and the concerned BDO had filed FIR with the police regarding this. Now after repolling and counting is over, these boxes become irrelevant.” 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/three-sealed-ballot-boxes-recovered-in-malda-526063