A political controversy erupted in West Bengal on Sunday when several hundred voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) slips were discovered on a roadside in the Duttapapukur area of North 24 Parganas district. The incident, which occurred just hours before the counting of votes for the assembly elections, led to accusations of negligence against the Election Commission of India (ECI) from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Trinamool Congress (TMC), and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)). The ECI responded by stating that the slips were from a mock poll conducted prior to the elections, not from the actual voting process. The counting of votes for 293 of the 294 assembly constituencies is scheduled to take place on Monday, following a repoll ordered in the Falta constituency due to allegations of electoral malpractice. Amidst the controversy, BJP candidate Arjun Singh claimed the slips were evidence of gross negligence by the ECI, while TMC and CPI(M) leaders expressed concerns about potential manipulation of the election results. Security measures have been implemented for the counting process, with 163 double-hall and 129 single-hall counting centers established across the state. The political climate remains tense as parties prepare for the outcome of the elections.