Three-tier security at Kharar

Tribune News Service
Mohali, May 22

Three-tier security cover has been provided at Government Polytechnic College at Khunimajra village in Kharar where the counting of votes of Mohali district would take place tomorrow.

According to Mohali Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer Gurpreet Kaur Sapra, the administration has set up a strongroom at the college where all EVMs, used for voting process in Mohali district’s Kharar and Mohali segments, have been kept under tight security.

“EVMs and other paraphernalia that were used in the district’s third segment — Dera Bassi had been sent to Punjabi University as it (the segment) comes under the Patiala constituency. The rest two segments (Mohali and Kharar) are part of the Anandpur Sahib constituency,” said Sapra.

She said all preparations had been made for the counting process, which would start at 8 am tomorrow.

“Nearly 256 EVMs were used in polling stations of the Kharar segments, while in the Mohali segment, the number of EVMs was nearly 234. In the Dera Bassi segment, around 259 EVMs were used for polling,” said Sapra adding that the authorities had replaced some EVMs at different polling stations following some technical snag.

Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police Harcharan Singh Bhullar said three-tier security had been provided at the polytechnic college at Khoonimajra village.

“We have deputed personnel of paramilitary force, Punjab Armed Police and the local police under the security cover at the site. The security will remain in place till the completion of the counting process,” said SSP Bhullar.

No phones to be allowed in counting hall: SDM

Kharar: All arrangements have been made for the counting of votes of the Kharar Assembly constituency under the Anandpur Sahib Lok Sabha constituency. Kharar SDM Vinod Kumar Bansal, while giving information, said as many as 1,47,070 voters exercised their franchise in the Kharar assembly segment. He said counting staff and all political persons would be allowed to enter the counting hall till 7 am and the counting of votes will start at 8 am. No one would be allowed to take mobile phone in the counting hall. He said after every round, randomly five booths would be selected and rechecking of votes by slips of VVPAT machines would be done. — OC