Erode (East) bypoll | Three-tier security cover in place at counting centre

Paramilitary and police personnel guarding the entry of a powerful room the place EVMs used in polling stations for the bypoll to Erode (East) Assembly constituency are saved at the Government College of Engineering in Chithode in Erode
| Photo Credit: GOVARTHAN M

A 3-tier security cover has been deployed at the counting centre at the Government College of Engineering (previously I.R.T.T) in Chithode the place the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) used in 238 polling stations throughout the bypoll to the Erode (East) Assembly constituency on February 27 have been saved.

Following the conclusion of Monday’s polling that reported a voter turnout of 74.79%, all EVMs and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines had been sealed and transported to the centre and verified by election officers and positioned in two robust rooms. The course of was accomplished at 5.30 a.m. on Tuesday and the rooms had been sealed in the presence of District Election Officer and Collector H. Krishnanunni, General Observer Raj Kumar Yadav, Returning Officer for the Constituency Okay. Sivakumar and representatives of recognised political events. Mr. Krishnanunni reviewed the preparations for the counting of votes on March 2 and held discussions with officers.

Addressing the media, he mentioned a three-tier security cover: the primary layer by paramilitary personnel, the second by armed police personnel and the outer perimeter by police personnel, has been deployed.

“A total of 150 personnel per shift have been deployed, and altogether, 450 personnel have been deployed in three shifts,” he mentioned. Apart from this, robust rooms and pathways from robust rooms to the counting centres are being monitored by means of 48 closed surveillance cameras and the stay feed is linked to screens that may be seen by candidates or their representatives. “It is done to ensure transparency,” he added.

To a query that a couple of EVMs had developed snags and had been changed through the ballot, he mentioned EVMS had been changed in two cubicles and votes polled in all of the EVMs could be counted. Asked in regards to the comparatively excessive turnout of voters, Mr. Krishnanunni mentioned voters turning up in giant numbers was good.

“As per the instructions from the Election Commission of India, we carried out many Systematic Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) activities to ensure a high number of eligible voters came to vote,” he mentioned, including that the upper turnout might be because of numerous causes.

The officer mentioned votes can be counted in 15 rounds throughout 16 tables by over 100 counting officers. Counting of postal ballots will start at 8 a.m. whereas counting of votes will start at 8.30 a.m., he mentioned.