Four-tier security to be in place for counting: Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo

The first-tier will be guarded by the Central Industrial Security Force and Central Reserve Paramilitary force comprising 988 central police personnel. The second-tier will be covered by armed police of state police. A total of 1,522 (around 50 for each counting station) will be posted and the third and fourth tier will be guarded by state armed reserve and local Law and Order police. The total uniformed service personnel will be around 8,000 and this will be subjected to further addition, the CEO said.

Besides the top brass, a total of 80 IPS officers will be supervising the counting process in the ranks of additional SPs and DSPs. Each counting station will be monitored by two police teams.

During counting, the strength will be enhanced and 13 companies of paramilitary staff will arrive shortly. Totally 16 counting tables will be kept for each constituency and clear-cut instructions and training had been given for the government staff deployed on counting duty, Sahoo explained.

Commenting about the cases related to actors Sivakarthikeyan and Srikanth, the CEO clarified that the district election officer report had confirmed that both the actors have voted which is a procedural lapse inviting action against the local poll officials. Both the cases have been reported to the Election Commission for further action and instructions. How the names of the residents went missing from the voters’ rolls is also examined through returning officers, he added.

All candidates, who have contested in the polls, should furnish the details related to criminal records within a period of 30 days of the time of poll completion. The returning officers for the by poll-bound constituencies have also commenced the process of accepting nominations for the by-elections. Nomination papers will be received till April 29 and the papers should not be received on Saturday and Sunday, the CEO clarified.