Around 4,000 EVMs Destroyed in Kolkata Government Building Fire; Sabotage Suspected
A fire at a nine-storey government building in Kolkata's Alipore area on June 10, 2026 destroyed approximately 4,000 electronic voting machines that had been used in recent West Bengal Assembly elections. The EVMs were stored on the eighth and ninth floors, while the fire reportedly originated on the third floor, with intermediate floors largely unaffected — a pattern officials described as abnormal. Authorities have formed a Special Investigating Team and appointed forensic experts, as both the ruling BJP and opposition Trinamool Congress demand answers amid heightened political tensions in the state.
A fire broke out on June 10, 2026 at the New Administrative Building in Kolkata's Alipore area, which houses the South 24 Parganas Zila Parishad office and several other government departments. Approximately 4,000 electronic voting machines — including control units, ballot units, and VVPATs — used across 10 assembly constituencies in the 2025 West Bengal state elections, as well as EVMs from 5 constituencies in the 2024 general elections, were destroyed. West Bengal Minister of State for Fire and Emergency Services Kaushik Chowdhury described the fire's spread as abnormal, noting it appeared to jump from the lower floors to the eighth and ninth floors while leaving intermediate floors relatively unaffected. Police registered an FIR and formed a four-member Special Investigating Team, while forensic experts collected samples from the site for laboratory analysis. Both the Trinamool Congress — which lost the recent state elections to the BJP — and the BJP itself have called for a thorough investigation, with TMC alleging a possible attempt to destroy electoral evidence and BJP leaders refusing to rule out conspiracy. Investigators have cautioned against premature conclusions, stating that forensic and scientific evidence will be essential to determine whether the fire was accidental, caused by an electrical fault, or deliberate. The incident has further inflamed Bengal's already volatile political climate, with the TMC facing a significant internal revolt following its election defeat.
What's missing
It is unclear who was legally responsible for the security and maintenance of the EVM strong room — whether the Election Commission of India, the district administration, or another body — and what standard protocols existed for fire safety at such facilities. The current status of any ECI response or statement directly addressing the TMC's allegations of mismanagement has not been reported.
How coverage differed
NDTV provided the most detailed political context, noting the BJP's recent landslide victory and the TMC's internal crisis with dozens of MPs and MLAs in open revolt — framing the fire within a broader narrative of political upheaval. The Hindu and Scroll.in focused more narrowly on the fire itself and the sabotage question, with The Hindu giving more prominence to TMC's accusations against the Election Commission of India.
What different sources said
- Scroll.inCenter
Kolkata: 4,000 EVMs destroyed in government building fire, minister flags sabotage possibility
- NDTVCenter
EVMs Linked To 15 Constituencies Destroyed In Kolkata Fire, Probe On
- The HinduCenter
Around 4,000 EVMs gutted as Bengal govt. building catches fire; Minister flags possibility of foul play
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