Civic polls: Sec 144 imposed; three-tier deployment of police officials at all 11 counting venues

Kolkata: The state Election Commission (SEC) has made all necessary arrangements to ensure smooth counting of votes for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections on Tuesday with special emphasis on security as well as maintenance of Covid health protocols at the counting venues.

Voting was held on Sunday and 64.50 per cent of the 4048357 electors cast their franchise.

"There will be a three-tier deployment of police officials at all the 11 counting venues that have been earmarked by us. Strong rooms will be opened at 7 am and counting will start sharp at 8 am. Quick Response Teams, flying squads and reserve police etc. arrangements have also been made. Drones have also been deployed. Section 144 imposed has already been imposed within 200m area of counting centres," a senior official of SEC said.

The Commission has asked the police administration to ensure proper security of all the 950 candidates who had contested in the polls.

The entire counting centre will be under CCTV surveillance and videography will be done. Counting agents will monitor counting, but they can't carry mobile or any electronic device inside the venue.

The ward wise tables have been fixed and counting will start for all wards/constituency at a time. One officer in the rank of AMRO will remain in charge of each counting hall.

The maximum number of counting tables in each venue will be 14 to ensure that social distancing is maintained properly as per Covid health protocols. Covid protocol shall be followed in the venues , masks/sanitizers will be given, sanitization of centres has already been done. There will be RAT (Rapid Antigen Test) facility available too.

The counting centre for Borough I and II will be at Rabindra Bharati University, for Borough III, IV, V and VI at Netaji Indoor Stadium, for Borough VII at Gitanjali Stadium (southern wing) in Kasba, for Borough VIII at West Bengal University of Teachers' Training, Education Planning & Administration (former David Hare Training College), for Borough IX at Hastings House in Alipore, for Borough X at Jodhpur Park Boys School, for Borough XI at Jodhpur Park Girls School, for Borough XII at Gitanjali Stadium (northern wing)

For Borough XIII counting will be done at Barisha High School (Behala), for Borough XIV at Thakurpukur Vivekananda College, for Borough XV at Sister Nibedita Government General Degree College (Hastings House) and for Borough XVI at Bratachari Vidyashram school at Joka.