Assembly polls: Security beefed up in counting centers ahead of counting day

Paramilitary forces and other police personnel guard strongrooms where EVMs and VVPATs are kept

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: In a bid to avoid any untoward situation, the Election Commission has tightened security in the 36 vote counting centres across the State for the Assembly elections that were held on May 10, which saw a triangular battle between the BJP, Congress and the JD(S).

The counting of votes will begin at 8 am at BMS College for Women, St Joseph’s Indian High School, Mount Carmel College and SSMRV PU College in Bengaluru. According to the police and election duty officials, three-tier security is in place across the centres.

Speaking to News Trail, a police officer, while examining the arrangements made at BMS College for women, one of the counting centres, said over a hundred police personnel, including women police officials and paramilitary forces, guarded each counting centre, with the CCTV surveying the entire campus.

The official also said all vehicles were checked and only party candidates and members allowed inside the centre upon showing the relevant pass. As part of the bandobast, under the additional commissioner of police, East, and West, 10 DCPs, 15 ACPs, 38 police inspectors, 250 PSIs, 1, 200 police personnel, 12 CRPF contingents and 36 KSRP contingents are deployed in the city. Each ACP rank official will monitor the counting room.

However, the department has also appointed a special patrol at the border and one assistant commissioner of police to each sub-division. Besides, the officials have also set up frame metal Detectors and hand-held metal detectors at every counting centre. Along with these security arrangements, the City Armed Reserve platoons, District Armed Reserve platoons, and Karnataka State Reserve Police personnel are also on duty on the counting day