A fresh controversy has erupted in Bihar’s Samastipur district after reports emerged that CCTV cameras inside the strong room were switched off — just days after bundles of VVPAT slips were found dumped in the open. The incident has triggered political uproar, with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) accusing election officials of foul play.
According to an official statement from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar, the district magistrate has been directed to immediately visit the site and conduct an inquiry into the matter.
In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the RJD alleged that “CCTV cameras inside the Samastipur strong room remained off for 30 minutes.” The party further attacked the Election Commission and local authorities, writing: “The Election Commission and local administration should stop using absurd excuses like power cuts, battery failure, TV in sleep mode, or lack of a generator. Your credibility and integrity are zero! Stop these tactics to steal votes!”
In another post, RJD claimed that “suspicious individuals” were seen entering the strong room of the Mohiuddin Nagar Assembly constituency in Samastipur. The party demanded that the Election Commission and Bihar CEO clarify who these people were and what they were doing inside the storage area.
“Stay awake, stay alert,” the party warned. “An outsider vote thief, in collusion with anti-Bihar forces, is conspiring to steal the mandate from the birthplace of democracy.”
It is worth noting that on Saturday, a large number of VVPAT slips were found scattered on a road in the Sarairanjan Assembly area of Samastipur. The Election Commission responded swiftly, suspending the Assistant Returning Officer (ARO). Officials later clarified that the slips were from a mock poll (trial voting), and thus did not affect the fairness of the actual voting process.
Voting in Samastipur took place on November 6 during the first phase of the Bihar elections. Today marks the final day of campaigning for 122 Assembly seats in the state. Electioneering will end at 5 p.m. Voting is scheduled for November 11, with results to be declared on November 14.
