Cuttack: After providing security during the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the Odisha police pulled up its socks for smooth conduct of votes, scheduled for May 23.
Director General of Police (DGP) Dr Rajendra Prasad Sharma who took stock of the preparedness through videoconferencing with Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissioner of Police, all range IGs, DIGs, district SPs and two DCPs on Saturday said that at least 172 platoons of Special Armed Police (SAP) and 69 Companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) will be deployed in the State during the counting of votes to maintain law and order.
The DGP asked the SPs to fine tune the three-tier security arrangement in the counting centres as per the guideline of ECI latest by Sunday.
The strong room having EVMs will be guarded by CAPF while inner ring will be guarded by State Armed Police and peripheral security will be done by local police.
“At present 69 Companies of CAPF have been deployed in different districts and they are now engaged in guarding the strong rooms. Another 12 companies of CAPF are expected to reach the State shortly to manage the counting task,” informed the DGP.
The DGP also asked the SPs to open control rooms in the vicinity of counting centres equipped with VHF, PA system and other communication equipments.
As the counting of votes will clock a longer duration till evening than its national counterparts as the State went to Lok Sabha and Assembly elections simultaneously, the DGP asked the officials to make additional arrangement of light and drinking water for the public outside the counting centre premises.
Polling for 21 Lok Sabha constituencies and 146 Assembly seats was held in the State in four phases on April 11, 19, 23 and 29. The EVMs are now in the safe strong room since completion of the fourth phase of elections.
