Kolkata, May 4 -- A political row erupted in West Bengal on Sunday after a few hundred slips, believed to be from voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines used during the April 29 assembly polls in Noapara constituency, were found on the roadside in the Duttapapukur area in North 24 Parganas district, with BJP, TMC and CPI(M) accusing the Election Commission of India (ECI) of gross negligence. EC, however, claimed the slips were from VVPAT machines used in a mock poll done before the assembly elections.

The incident comes hours before the counting of votes for the two-phased West Bengal polls, that took place on April 23 and 29.

To be sure, votes for 293 of 294 assembly constituencies will be counted on Monday as a repoll was...