Lok Sabha Polls 2024 | NCP (SP) files complaint with EC after CCTVs shut down at godown storing Baramati EVMs

The Nationalist Congress Party (SP) on Monday alleged wrongdoing after CCTV cameras got turned off for 45 minutes at a godown where the EVMs from the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency were stored in Maharashtra's Pune district.

Mumbai: The Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) has shot off a complaint to the Election Commission of India raising serious concerns over the security of EVMs  of Baramati Lok Sabha seat in Pune district, where the CCTVs went blank for close to 45 minutes. 

Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule, a three-time Baramati MP is locked in an electoral battle with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar. 

Polling in Baramati was held in the Phase-3 (7 May) along with 10 other seats of Maharashtra.

The EVMs from across the constituency were shifted to the secure strongroom till the counting of votes scheduled on 4 June.

“After the polling of Baramati,  the CCTV in a godown where the EVMs are kept was switched off for 45 minutes this morning. It is suspicious that the CCTV is switched off where a very important thing like an EVM is kept. Also, this is a big lapse. When the election representatives contacted the concerned authorities and administration, no satisfactory answers were received. Apart from this, the technician is also not available at the said place,” Supriya Sule posted on X and tagged the Election Commission of India. 

"The Election Commission should immediately take notice of this and announce the reasons why the CCTV was closed. Apart from this, appropriate action should be taken against those responsible for the incident,” she said.

Meanwhile, Baramati Returning Officer Kavita Dwivedi said that the issue has been probed. “While the electrician was working, a cable was cut briefly…all data of the said period is intact…all CCTVs are working,” she said.