A three-tier security scheme has been put in place at the counting centres in nine districts after the electronic voting machines were brought to the centres from various polling stations.
Personnel of the para-military, Tamil Nadu Special Police, Armed Reserve and the respective district police personnel have been deployed at the centres as part of the detailed security arrangements.
The central zone has 15 counting centres with two of them falling under the limits of the Tiruchi city police. Every counting centre has strong rooms where the EVMs were deposited safely. The strong rooms were sealed in the presence of the representatives political parties and officials.
Sources said that senior officers in the rank of Additional Superintendent of Police and Deputy Superintendent of Police have been entrusted with the task of overall supervision of the counting centres in the respective district in shifts. The Tiruchi Rural Police and Perambalur district police have two counting centres each in their respective jurisdiction. Thanjavur district has three counting centres, while Pudukottai, Karur, Ariyalur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai districts have one counting centre each. The Tiruchi city police would provide a three-layered bandobust for the two counting centres that falls under its limits.
The first tier of security would be provided by the armed para-military personnel who have been deployed in front of the strong rooms in each counting centre. This includes personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. Over 450 para-military personnel are to be engaged for providing first-tier security at the strong rooms in shifts. The second tier of security is being provided by different companies of the Tamil Nadu Special Police personnel and the third-tier by the Armed Reserve and police personnel attached to law and order of the respective district. Surveillance cameras have been fixed at the strong rooms and at other places inside the counting centres to enhance surveillance.
The sources said around 2,400 security personnel had been drafted for providing bandobust in shifts round-the-clock at each counting centre till May 2 when the counting of votes polled is to take place. Senior police officers would be making visits to the counting centres on a daily basis to ensure that the system was in place
.
