All arrangements in place for counting: Mansa DEO

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 21

Presiding over a meeting, District Election Officer of Mansa Apneet Riyait on Tuesday said all arrangements had been made for the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha elections in Mansa. She said the counting would start from 8 am onwards on May 23.

Riyait said all EVMs had been kept at Government Nehru Memorial College, Mansa. The counting of votes of the Mansa Assembly segment will be held at Multipurpose Hall of the college, Sardulgarh Assembly segment at the sports building and Budhlada Assembly segment at the library.

The District Election Officer said each centre had 42 polling staff members and 135 staff members on the table. She said there was 20 per cent reserve staff.

In order to facilitate the results for area residents, a huge screen will be put up at local Gurdwara Chowk to show constituency-wise results, she added.

Riyait added that the election staff would enter from the main gate of the college, while the rest of the staff from the back gate. She said vehicles would be parked in the stadium ground.

The District Election Officer said packets of stationery and other items to be used for counting had already been prepared.

“No eatables or beverages will be allowed to take inside the counting centers. Every election staff on duty should carry his or her identity card, without which entry will not be allowed,” she added.

Mansa SSP Gulneet SIngh Khurana said a three-tier security system had been put in place. The first tier is being managed by the CRPF personnel, the second tier by the PAP and the third tier by the Mansa police.

He added that one company of the CRPF, around 70 PAP jawans and other police personnel have been deployed for security.

The SSP said security personnel had been guarding EVM strongrooms round the clock. Besides, CCTV cameras have been installed outside the strongrooms, he added.

The SSP added that no one was allowed to take mobile phones inside the counting centres and everyone would be frisked for security reasons.

A three-tier security apparatus has been put in place to guard EVM strongrooms at PESCO and Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) in Bathinda.

The EVMs have been kept securely away from light so that the data stored in these machines does not get affected till the time the poll results are out.