Overview
- Debabrata Saikia, who wrote to the election observer on Saturday, alleged that rooms storing election materials in Sivasagar used a single padlock instead of a double-lock and lacked visible CAPF, police, and CCTV coverage.
- He shared photos that he said showed Rooms 12 and 15 with one side padlocked and sealed while a second door looked only shut from inside, which he argued could allow unauthorized entry.
- The district election officer rejected the charge and said the strongrooms were sealed on April 10 in the presence of the observer, senior officials, and party representatives, with round-the-clock CCTV, CAPF and state police guards, and a logbook.
- Officials said Rooms 12 and 15 are designated material strongrooms under CCTV, and they later sealed nearby office rooms 10, 11, 13, and 16 and put them under cameras as a precaution after the complaint.
- ECI rules call for one entry point, a double-lock with keys split between the returning officer and assistant returning officer, a CAPF inner ring, state armed police outside, and CCTV on doors and corridors, and the observer will decide if further steps are needed.