Assam government begins probe into security breach in Nalbari strong room
GUWAHATI: The Assam government announced on Wednesday (May 22) an inquiry into a security breach that occurred inside the strong room of Nalbari district on May 07, during the polling day.
This investigation will be overseen by B Kalyan Chakravarthy, principal secretary of the Assam home and political department.
The breach occurred on May 07, when Nalbari district in Assam, part of the Barpeta Lok Sabha constituency, held its third phase of voting.
The inquiry began on Wednesday (May 22) at the district headquarters, with Nalbari sistrict commissioner Varnali Deka and other relevant personnel in attendance.
“I am directed to inform you that Shri B Kalyan Chakravarthy, Principal Secretary to the Govt of Assam, Home & Political Departments is going to visit Nalbari on 22.05.2024 to conduct an enquiry regarding the breach of security at Strong Room premises on 07/05/2024 at Nalbari Election District under Barpeta HPC,” stated the Assam home and political department deputy secretary.
In addition to Deka, the magistrate in charge of the strong room, security personnel, and representatives of political parties who witnessed the breach were summoned to provide their testimonies.
The issue gained prominence after Congress’ Barpeta candidate, Deep Bayan, lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India on May 14, urging a probe into the alleged security lapse.
This followed a police complaint by Deka on May 10, claiming that an unknown individual inside the EVM receipt centre had demanded Rs 10 lakh to be paid to National Award-winning filmmaker Luit Kumar Barman.
The individual reportedly left the premises before Deka could respond.
The receipt counter and the strong room are located at Government Gurdon Higher Secondary School, sharing a single entry-exit gate and thus benefiting from the same heightened security measures.
Despite these security protocols, the unidentified person managed to enter and exit the premises without detection.
Barman, who has been vocal on social media about alleged irregularities by the DC, denied the accusations, calling Deka’s complaint “completely false and fabricated”.
Referring to the incident, Bayan's complaint to the ECI highlighted concerns about potential malpractice and EVM tampering, exacerbated by the reported security breach.
He emphasized that only authorized individuals, such as contesting candidates and election agents, should have access to the strong room campus, making the entry of an unknown person a significant security lapse.
The police have yet to identify and apprehend the individual involved in the incident.
The investigation by the Assam government aims to uncover the details and ensure the integrity of the election process in Nalbari.