E-Paper
Tight security at counting centres in Pune
Out of the three, two centres are in Pune and a third in Ranjangaon and strict surveillance through CCTVs has been set up across the strongrooms
Pune district collector and election officer Dr Suhas Diwase on Friday stated that elaborate security arrangements are in place for three centres where Lok Sabha elections counting will be taken up on June 4.
Out of the three, two centres are in Pune and a third in Ranjangaon and strict surveillance through CCTVs has been set up across the strongrooms where EVMs have been stored as part of heightened security measures.
As per Diwase, the Pune Lok Sabha seat will have 21 rounds of counting, while Baramati will need 24 rounds of counting. Similarly, Shirur will have 28 rounds while Maval Lok Sabha will have 25 rounds of counting. The counting process will start at 8 am and postal ballots will be accounted for first.
Data entry would be done for each round from the counting centre after approval from the Returning Officer (RO).
Talking about the arrangements, Dr Diwase said, “We have placed a three-tier system of security at the counting centres as per the guidelines of the Election Commission (EC). The third or the outer ring is by the local police, the second ring is by the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) and the inner or third ring has been entrusted to the Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF). In the end, in the presence of the political representatives, the observer will pick five polling stations randomly for each constituency and count VVPATs to the tally with the EVM counting. I have myself checked the security arrangement thrice and made a record in three registers.”
The district collector further added that all the officers including policemen have been instructed to strictly go as per the rulebook without giving any scope for deviation.
“No one would be allowed into the counting centres without proper authorisation and gate pass. Separate entry and exit routes for counting staff, candidates, and counting agents have also been planned,” Diwase stated.
He further estimated that the counting of votes for the four parliamentary seats should be completed by 3.30 pm.
The district collector said that mobile phones were not allowed inside counting halls and only election commission-approved Identity card holders would be allowed inside the centres.
According to the election commission, 1,626 election staffers are to be deployed at the four counting centres in the city on June 4 when the fate of four parliamentary seats in the Pune district will be decided.
The counting for the Pune and Baramati Lok Sabha seats will take place at the Food Corporation of India (FCI) godown, while the counting for the Shirur parliamentary constituency will be held at the State Warehouse at Ranjangaon MIDC. For Maval constituency counting, Balewadi Sports Complex will be the venue, the district collector added.
