A three-tier security arrangement has been extended to all centres storing electronic voting machines (EVMs) and relevant documents after the completion of polls.
Director General of Police-Elections Ashutosh Shukla told The Hindu: “The district and city police personnel were constantly vigilant about movement through the night to ensure that the polled EVMs were deposited in the counting centres.”
“All EVMs were brought and stored in 45 counting centres across the State. All centres were sealed and three-tier cordoning system has been set up at all counting premises to prevent the entry of unauthorised persons ,” said Mr. Shukla.
The control units and ballot units were taken to the Returning Officers’ strong rooms with proper escort and would be guarded by police personnel. In the presence of representatives from political parties, poll officials sealed the strong rooms. The strong rooms, with only one entry point and a double-locking system, are under CCTV surveillance.
The inner cordon is manned largely by the Central armed police forces. The middle cordon is at the gate of the counting premises and is manned by the State Armed Police. In the outer area, local police personnel, numbering around 1000, on a rotation basis and led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police/Assistant Commissioner of Police, will be on duty, said City Police Commissioner A.K. Viswanathan.