Patna: As Bihar gears up for vote counting following two crucial phases of polling, political tension flared late Wednesday night when the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) accused the Rohtas district administration of secretly moving Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) into a counting centre without prior notice.
The incident allegedly took place at the Vajra Griha counting centre, located in the Takiya Market Committee premises of the Sasaram Assembly constituency. Soon after reports of the movement spread, RJD workers and supporters gathered at the site, demanding immediate clarification from Bihar Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal and the Election Commission of India (ECI).
In a video shared on X (formerly Twitter), RJD claimed that CCTV cameras at the centre were switched off, and a truck “loaded with boxes” entered the compound under suspicious circumstances. The party accused officials of sending away the truck drivers without questioning them.
“Why was a truck allegedly carrying EVMs sneaked inside without any official announcement? Why was the CCTV feed turned off from 2 PM? The full footage must be released,” RJD stated in its post, alleging that “vote theft” was underway.
The party also warned that if the Election Commission failed to provide an explanation, thousands of supporters would gather at counting centres to “protect democracy and stop vote fraud.”
Meanwhile, the Election Commission extended the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in Patna district till November 16 to ensure law and order during the post-counting phase. Victory processions have been banned under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
