KOLKATA — The Election Commission has initiated a routine review of democratic processes after confirming that 58 percent of the electorate in a West Bengal constituency successfully cast their votes while the opposition candidate's EVM button was actively taped shut.

"We are examining these 77 complaints of EVM tampering with our standard level of strict observation," said a senior polling official, noting that local CCTV cameras were thoughtfully switched off during polling to ensure voters could navigate the adhesive barriers in complete privacy. "The formal 'tape removed' phase of the election only commenced after a comfortable majority of the constituency had already participated in the process."

Election authorities noted that this highly directed approach to voting, locally known as the "Diamond Harbour Model," has a proven track record of electoral success. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the region utilized similarly robust methods to deliver a nationwide record victory margin of over 7 lakh votes for the ruling party, a result that naturally withstood all subsequent institutional reviews.