A three-tier security arrangement is in place at the two counting centres where Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPATs) used in all the polling booths in the eight Assembly constituencies for the elections are stored.
Polling in all the 2,741 booths went off peacefully on Tuesday, as 76.91% of the total electors exercised their franchise. All the EVMs and VVPATs were sealed and shifted to Institute of Road Transport Technology (IRTT) at Chithode and Gobi Arts and Science College at Gobichettipalayam. While poll materials used in the six Assembly constituencies of Erode (East), Erode (West), Modakkurichi, Perundurai, Bhavani and Anthiyur were taken to IRTT, poll materials used in the constituencies of Bhavanisagar and Gobichettipalayam were taken to Gobi Arts and Science College at Gobichettipalayam. All the EVMs and VVPATs were stored in strong rooms and the doors were sealed in the presence of District Election Officer and District Collector C. Kathiravan, general observers and representatives of candidates.
Senior police officials said that three-tier security comprising paramilitary personnel, armed State policemen and policemen, has been provided at the two centres and monitoring would be done round-the-clock. Also, closed circuit television cameras were installed at the centres and monitoring would be done at the control rooms at each centre, they added.