Amid the polling for the sixth phase for the ongoing Lok Sabha election, a controversy erupted in West Bengal after the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) levelled serious allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claiming that five Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) at a polling station of Bankura's Raghunathpur had 'BJP tags' on them.

The TMC put out a post on X from party's official handle, highlighting the "BJP tags" on the EVMs. "Smt. @MamataOfficial has repeatedly flagged how @BJP4India was trying to rig votes by tampering with EVMs. And today, in Bankura's Raghunathpur, 5 EVMs were found with BJP tags on them," the post read.

The election commission was also tagged in the post as the party sought an immediate action into the matter. "@ECISVEEP should immediately look into it and take corrective action," the tweet said. The allegation comes amid the Opposition's claim of the central agencies being misused by the BJP-led central government.

The poll body was prompt in its reply as it justified those tags "common address tags which were signed by the Candidates and their agents present."

"Since only BJP Candidate's representative was present during that time in the commissioning hall, his signature was taken during commissioning of that EVM and VVPAT," the poll body replied on the social media platform. The ECI also assured that the entire process was done under the surveillance of the CCTV cameras.

"However, signature of all the agents present in PS No 56,58, 60, 61,62 was obtained during Poll. All the ECI norms were duly followed during commissioning was done entirely under CCTV coverage and was duly videographed," it said.

As the polling enters phase 6 on Saturday, eight constituencies in Bengal are voting today. Currently, the polling is underway in Tamluk, Kanthi, Ghatal, Jhargram, Medinipur, Purulia, Bankura, and Bishnupur Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal.