Multi-tier security arrangements have been made at the Government Engineering College in Ramanagaram and the Government College for Boys (Autonomous) in Mandya, where the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) used in the byelections to the two Lok Sabha constituencies have been kept. Counting of votes is on Saturday.
By-elections to the Bangalore Rural and Mandya Lok Sabha constituencies were held amid police security on Wednesday.
16 constituencies
Polling was held in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bangalore South, Anekal, Kunigal, Ramanagaram, Channapatna, Magadi and Kanakapura Assembly segments in the Bangalore Rural constituency and in Mandya, Krishnaraja Nagar, Krishnaraja Pet, Srirangapatna, Melkote, Maddur, Malavalli and Nagamangala Assembly segments in Mandya constituency.
As soon as polling was completed, all the sealed EVMs from the polling stations in the 16 constituencies were transported to the counting centres under tight security on Wednesday.
The officials concerned posted at the counting centres received the sealed EVMs from 2,385 booths in Bangalore Rural constituency and 1,975 booths in Mandya constituency. They verified the documents before locking the EVMs in the strong-rooms.
The Police Department has provided multi-tier security at the counting centres.
Nearly 300 police personnel and Border Security Force (BSF) personnel will be on duty round-the-clock.
The Police Department deployed canine squads on Thursday.
Besides frisking people visiting the centres, police personnel are video-recording the activities in and around the counting centres, police officials said.
Power supply
Meanwhile, the officials concerned have taken steps to provide uninterrupted power supply to the counting centres.
They have put up barricades at the counting centre in Mandya.
