Three-tier security in place at strong rooms, counting centers in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The results for the simultaneous polls held in Odisha for 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147-member state Assembly are set to be declared on Tuesday.

The simultaneous elections were held in four phases between May 13 and June 1.

Re-polling was also held at two booths under the Kantamala Assembly segment in Boudh district on May 23.

Following the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, adequate security arrangements have been made across the state for smooth counting on Tuesday.

Police sources said the EVMs have been safely stored in the strong rooms at 69 locations (78 buildings) across the state, which are under CCTV surveillance and being guarded by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel.

The counting will be held at 168 centers, one each for 147 Assembly segments and the 21 Parliamentary constituencies in the state.

A three-tier security has been put in place at each of the strong rooms where the EVMs have been stored and at the counting venues across the state.

As many as 78 platoons of CAPF personnel are guarding the strong rooms and counting centers as the first layer.

Similarly, 78 platoons of Special Armed Force of Odisha Police and an adequate number of cops of the respective district police force have been deployed as part of the second and third-tier security arrangements to ensure peaceful and flawless counting of votes.

Several platoons of additional CAPF forces have been deployed at the counting centers as well.