Particle.news
Download on the App Store

EC Suspends Samastipur ARO Over Dumped VVPAT Mock Slips, Says Poll Integrity Intact

Officials say the dumped material came from pre‑vote tests, not from actual ballots.

Overview

  • Large numbers of VVPAT paper slips were found near KSR/SR College in Sarairanjan, Samastipur, and the district administration seized both shredded and some unshredded slips.
  • The Election Commission said the slips were generated during mandatory mock polls before Phase 1 voting, ordered an on‑site inquiry, informed candidates, and asserted that voting remained uncompromised.
  • The Assistant Returning Officer for the segment was suspended for negligence and an FIR was registered, with the district magistrate also recommending departmental action against additional staff.
  • An ECI technical team conducted a fresh VVPATEVM reconciliation at the concerned booth and reported a 100% match in the presence of party agents, according to officials.
  • Preliminary reviews cited by officials point to improper disposal practices, including CCTV showing a sanitation worker scattering slips, and the EC announced tighter controls such as biometric verification of disposal and GPS‑tagging of waste bins ahead of the next polling phase on November 11.