Counting begins for 42 LS seats at 55 counting centres amid tight security

Kolkata, June 4 (IANS) Amid tight security counting has begun for 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal at 55 counting centres.

Out of the 55 counting centres, eight are in Kolkata, which have been allotted for the two Lok Sabha constituencies in the city namely Kolkata-Dakshin and Kolkata-Uttar.

Right now the counting of postal ballots has started and after the process is over the counting of the votes polled at the EVMs will resume. Before the beginning of the polling process, the postal ballots and EVMs were brought out of the strong rooms and brought to the counting centres through a green channel created especially for that route.

The counting centres are wrapped under blanket security cover by the first tier of the three-tier security system consisting only of the personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). The counting agents and polling officials were allowed to enter the counting centres and subsequently to the counting rooms after thorough frisking at each stage.

None were allowed to carry their mobile phones along with them to the counting rooms. Counting is underway at 4,944 tables in 418 counting rooms at the 55 counting centres.

A total of 92 companies of CAPF have been deployed to man the security system at the 55 counting centres, with each counting centre having a minimum of one company.

Section 144 has been in an area of 200 metres of radius. Close-circuit CCTV cameras have been installed at each counting centre, including the counting halls. The footage of these CCTV cameras will be preserved for the purpose of possible counting-related irregularities in future.

On early Tuesday morning just a few hours before the counting resumed, there was an explosion at Bhangar under Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency in South 24 Parganas following which five persons were injured.