Senior Revenue officials keep round-the-clock vigil on counting centres in Vellore

VELLORE: In the wake of an official entering into one of the rooms in a counting centre in Madurai without valid reasons, top officials here are leaving no stones unturned to ensure foolproof security to the electronic voting machines kept in two counting centres.

The machines that recorded the votes polled in Arakkonam Lok Sabha constituency and Sholingur Assembly segment were kept in seven strong rooms duly sealed in the presence agents of candidates in the counting centre at Ranipet Institute of Technology located in Wallajah while the machines moved from Gudiyattam and Ambur were being safely locked and sealed in two strong rooms in at Thanthai Periyar Engineering College, Thorapadi in Vellore city.

Two senior Revenue department officials in the rank of Tahsildars are being posted to keep a close vigil on the counting centre.

“Two Tahsildars will be on duty in each of the counting centres working round-the-clock. They will be closely watching the strong rooms and other chambers where polling materials are being kept in Ranipet Institute of Technology and Thanthai Periyar Engineering College,” District Election Officer-cum-District Collector SA Raman told Express.

Accompanied by the Superintendent of Police (SP) Pravesh Kumar, he visited the counting centre in Wallajah to inspect the security arrangements on Sunday.

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Raman said that the DEO and the SP should visit the counting centres once in a day if it is located in the headquarters and once in three days if it is located outside the headquarters as per the guidelines.

However, Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers of the respective constituencies will visit the cntres and ensure check the security arrangements in the counting centres daily.

To transparency, the election officials have set up 48 closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in Ranipet Institute of Technology while the figures for Thanthai Periyar Engineering College is 31.

Facilities have been arranged for either the candidates or his representatives to view the footages recorded in the CCTV cameras.

According to Raman, “Three persons authorised by a candidate can be allowed to view the footages.”

Both the counting centres are being provided with three-tier security involving central paramilitary force (CPF), Tamil Nadu Special Police (TSP) and the local police.