THE WEST Bengal State Election Commission (SEC) will on Wednesday announce results of elections to 108 civic bodies. All security arrangements are in place and section 144 of the CrPC would be in force up to 200 metres of each counting centre, official sources said.
According to the SEC, counting will be held in 107 centres. All Covid protocols would also be strictly followed at the centres, they added. The opposition parties have been levelling allegations of violence, rigging and false polling amid the civic elections.
As part of what the SEC terms “three-layered” security arrangements, people will not be allowed to enter counting centres with mobile phones. Only the Returning Officers concerned can use phone inside the counting centres. Polling agents of political parties only can carry pen and writing pad with them, the sources said.
Also, at the main counting centres and strongrooms, armed police personnel have been deployed. Only polling agents can enter the counting room. Mediapersons can also enter but without cameras, the sources said.
Counting will begin through postal ballot and then the electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be counted. Counting will be held in two rounds. The SEC has allowed victory marches but any violence or confrontation will not be allowed. A senior SEC official said, “We instructed police to show zero tolerance in case of any untoward situation during victory march.”
State Election Commissioner Sourav Das said, “All counting centres will have suffficient CCTV camera coverage. Any violence or unwanted situation will not be tolerated.”
