Omar Abdullah Warns of ‘Dangerous Precedent’ if Roll Revision Impacts Bengal Polls, Backs Mamata Banerjee on EVM Vigil
Mumbai: Omar Abdullah on Friday cautioned that any impact of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls on the West Bengal Assembly election results would set a “dangerous precedent,” urging political parties to remain vigilant.
Reacting to the high-voltage developments outside a strong room in Bhabanipur, Kolkata, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister also defended Mamata Banerjee’s decision to deploy party workers to guard Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), calling it a legitimate democratic practice.
“I have always said that I do not accept pre-poll rigging, and safeguarding the EVMs after the polls is our responsibility. We used to do the same when there were ballot boxes,” Abdullah told reporters.
Drawing parallels with earlier election practices, he noted that political parties have historically stationed their workers outside strong rooms to ensure transparency. “It was Mamata Banerjee’s right to keep people outside the strong room, and she did it,” he added.
His remarks come amid heightened political tensions in West Bengal following reports of a late-night standoff near a strong room in the Bhabanipur constituency, fuelling concerns among opposition parties over the security of EVMs.
Abdullah’s statement underscores broader apprehensions within the opposition regarding electoral integrity, particularly in the context of voter roll revisions and post-poll safeguards.
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