NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Supriya Sule shared a video on her official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, alleging that the CCTV cameras of the godown where the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were stored after the Baramati Lok Sabha polls on May 7 were switched off for 45 minutes.
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"The CCTV cameras of the godown where EVMs were kept after the polling of Baramati Lok Sabha constituency were switched off for 45 minutes this morning (Monday). Where something as important as EVMs are kept, the CCTV cameras being switched off is suspicious. Also, this is a significant lapse," Sule wrote.
"When the election representatives contacted the concerned authorities and the administration, no satisfactory answers were received. Additionally, no technician was available at the said place. Also, our representatives are not allowed to inspect the EVM status. This is very serious," she added.
The NCP(SP) leader further asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to immediately take notice of this and disclose the reasons why the CCTV cameras were switched off. Apart from this, it is necessary to take appropriate action against those responsible for the incident, she added.
Laxmikant Khabiya, the election representative Supriya Sule, said the CCTVs were turned off between 10.30am and 11.15am at the Food Corporation of India's godown, where the EVMs from the constituency are stored.
"Election officials told us that the CCTVs will function round the clock. Our party representatives are deployed to keep a watch. On Monday, we received an alert that the CCTVs were turned off for nearly 45 minutes. We tried to raise the issue with the police. The administration has come up with a clarification, but we will submit an application to the returning officer of Baramati," Khabiya said.
Meanwhile, Baramati returning officer Kavita Dwivedi said the party's claim was investigated, and it was found that an electrician at the godown had removed a cable, which caused the display unit to be shut down.
All cameras in the premises were functional, and the data was intact, she said.
The Baramati seat witnessed a tough competition within the Pawar family — between sitting MP Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar, and NCP candidate Sunetra Pawar, wife of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
The final polling figure for the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency was at 59.50 per cent. In 2019, the seat registered 61.70 per cent voting.
(With PTI inputs)
