West Bengal panchayat polls: Sealed ballot boxes found days after results

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Three sealed and uncounted ballot boxes were recovered from a high school at Gajol in West Bengal's Malda district on Tuesday morning. Sources said the boxes were kept in a classroom, which was converted into a counting centre for the recently concluded panchayat elections in the state.

Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya and CPI(M) leader Tanmoy Bhattacharya said this proves that the panchayat polls was a farce. "I demand strict action against the returning officer concerned as results have already been declared without counting the votes in those three boxes," Pradip said.

Tanmoy said it shows the desperation of the ruling TMC to wrest power in the rural countryside. The TMC secured a massive victory in the July 8 polls. Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the West Bengal director general of police to conduct an "enquiry" into allegations of massive polling at a booth in New Town despite a vote boycott there.

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