On 22 April 2026, Kerala’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) issued a directive prohibiting the opening of any strong room or unsealed room containing polling materials until the completion of vote counting. The order followed incidents in Kozhikode and Palakkad districts where rooms storing polling materials were accessed, leading to protests and concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
According to The Indian Express, the controversy began when a room in Kozhikode, used to store materials from the Assembly elections, was opened under guard. The Congress party objected, raising questions about the security of election materials. Officials clarified that the accessed room was not a strong room containing Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), but an unsealed room with other polling materials.
District Election Officer statements indicated that the room was opened to verify and update information in the ENCORE portal by cross-checking it with presiding officers’ diaries. Further details revealed that the final approval of data in the ENCORE software was required by 20 April, prompting the action.
In Palakkad district, a similar situation arose at Government Victoria College, where polling materials for the Nenmara Assembly constituency were stored. It was alleged that a presiding officer’s diary was left inside the room, and there was an attempt to open it. Following protests from Congress, the District Collector decided against opening any election-related room.
The CEO, Dr Rathan U Kelkar, responded by reiterating that no strong rooms or unsealed rooms should be accessed for any purpose, including preparing index cards or verifying data. He directed all District Election Officers and Returning Officers to ensure strict compliance with these instructions.
“It has been reiterated that under no circumstances shall any strong rooms or unsealed rooms be opened or accessed for the purpose of preparing Index Cards or verifying data in the ENCORE portal. All concerned officers have been directed to ensure strict compliance with these instructions in order to safeguard the integrity, transparency, and security of the electoral process,” the CEO stated.
Election officials clarified that in Kozhikode, the materials in question were not kept in the strong room with EVMs and VVPATs, but in a separate area within the JDT Complex. Analysis showed that the action was taken to meet procedural requirements for data verification, not to access or tamper with voting machines.
Political parties, particularly the Congress, have continued to express concerns about the transparency and security of the process. Coverage revealed that the controversy has heightened scrutiny of election protocols in Kerala, with officials now under strict instructions to avoid any actions that could compromise public trust.
The CEO’s directive is intended to prevent any further disputes or allegations regarding the handling of polling materials. The situation remains under close observation, and all district officials have been reminded of their responsibilities to uphold the integrity of the electoral process as details emerged.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.