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After hundreds of VVPAT slips were discovered dumped near a college in the Sarairanjan constituency of Samastipur, the Election Commission of India ordered a probe and suspended the Assistant Returning Officer for negligence, but how grave is the lapse?
Hundreds of VVPAT slips were found discarded by the roadside near SR College in Shitalpatti.
Samastipur: In Samastipur district’s Sarairanjan assembly constituency, a troubling phenomenon emerged on the eve of the state assembly elections. A quantity of VVPAT slips, paper receipts generated by voters’ Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to confirm their vote – were found strewn alongside the road near SR College in Shitalpatti village.
The scene drew immediate attention when a video circulated on social media showing scores of slips scattered in public view. The Election Commission swiftly intervened.
Officials clarified that these slips were not from the actual voting process but were generated during the mandatory mock poll procedure that precedes polling—designed to test EVMs and VVPAT machines.
The district magistrate noted that while most slips had been shredded as per protocol, a subset remained intact and were improperly disposed of. The material was seized for forensic tracing and the relevant EVM numbers logged for scrutiny.
The chief electoral body emphasised that since these were mock-poll slips, the main polling integrity is unaffected. Nevertheless, the procedural lapse triggered the suspension of the ARO for negligence and initiation of FIR proceedings.
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The opposition raised sharp questions following the disclosure. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) publicised the dumpsite images and asked when, how and under whose instructions the slips were disposed of in such a manner.
While the election body said the incident was technical in nature and did not compromise the vote count, the optics of election material ending up on the roadside have stirred discomfort among parties and voters alike. The DM has been asked to submit a detailed incident report.
The inquiry will focus on tracing the exact sequence of events: how the mock-poll slips came to be discarded, whether the shredded/unshredded mix reflects a training or supervision failure, and which polling staff or officials were responsible. The EVM numbers and batch codes of the slips will be crucial in assigning responsibility.
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Moreover, the FIR registered will determine whether procedural negligence crosses into criminal liability. The findings will likely inform wider audit of poll material handling across other constituencies.
Though the main polling process remains officially unaffected, the incident underlines critical vulnerabilities in election logistics, especially the disposal of sensitive mock-poll material, chain of custody of polling assets, and transparency in pre-poll testing protocols.
It sends a broader message to election authorities that even procedural oversights can erode public trust, particularly in high-stakes elections where every stakeholder watches closely.
