Overview
- A viral video showed hundreds of VVPAT slips scattered near KSR College in the Sarairanjan segment of Samastipur two days after the first phase of voting.
- District Magistrate Roshan Kushwaha seized the material, registered an FIR, opened an on-site inquiry, and informed contesting candidates.
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar clarified the slips were generated during pre-vote testing and announced the suspension of the responsible Assistant Returning Officer for negligence.
- An ECI technical check reported 100% VVPAT–EVM reconciliation at the booth, and CCTV reportedly showed a sanitation worker sweeping and scattering the slips.
- The Commission ordered new safeguards that include biometric verification of mock-poll disposal and GPS tagging of waste bins ahead of the next polling phase.