Palakkad: Amid the ongoing controversy over the alleged opening of a “polling material room” in Kozhikode, the Election Commission of India has decided to open a strong room at Victoria College in Palakkad on Tuesday, according to media reports.

However, the Palakkad district collector later clarified at a press conference that the ‘sealed’ strong room will not be opened. The collector said a decision on the opening of a material room adjoining the sealed room will be taken only after further instructions from the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).

The room is linked to the Nenmara Assembly constituency, and the move comes after reports that a presiding officer may have left a diary inside. Candidates in the constituency were informed of the decision over the phone, UDF candidate A Thankappan told Mathrubhumi.

The development comes even as confusion and political protests erupted in Kozhikode over visuals showing officials opening a room at JDT College, where materials related to the Perambra constituency are stored.

Later, the district administration clarified that reports of opening a strong room storing EVMs were incorrect, even as the UDF opposition alleged violation of election norms.

Collector Snehil Kumar Singh, who is also the district election officer, said that an unsealed "material room" at JDT Islam Higher Secondary School here was opened this morning in the presence of candidates' agents to verify and update polling records.

The Returning Officer of Perambra also said reports claiming that a strong room containing Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) was opened were incorrect. In a statement, the officer said that an unsealed room, used to store polling records, was opened in the presence of candidates’ poll agents to update information in election-related software.

The officer further clarified that the room did not contain Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) or postal ballots.

The clarification followed allegations raised by the Congress-led UDF, which released visuals purportedly showing officials opening a room within the secured premises.

Congress DCC president K. Praveen Kumar criticised the move, stating, “entering of any state official or the state police personnel in the particular area amounts to violation of the Election Commission rules.”

He added that the Returning Officer’s explanation was not acceptable. “The returning officer claimed that it was a ‘material room’, but such a facility cannot be set up within the inner perimeter area notified by the Commission,” Kumar said.

Raising further concerns, Kumar questioned the presence of Kerala Police personnel at the site. “The central force has been entrusted with the security of the area. There is no need to open the particular room before the counting day,” he said.

Other UDF leaders who gathered at the location also challenged the authorities’ claims that the room was opened with the knowledge of the election agents. They maintained that their representatives had not been informed.

Despite the controversy, officials reiterated that all procedures were followed as per norms.

The results of the April 9 Assembly elections to 140 constituencies in Kerala are scheduled to be declared on May 4, officials said.