Bhadrak: With the fate of candidates in the byelection to Dhamnagar Assembly constituency in Odisha’s Bhadrak district sealed in EVMs, the district administration has kept those under tight security for 48 hours before the start of counting of votes.
Speaking to media persons on Friday, district collector Siddheswar Baliram Bondar said the administration has put 3-layer security ring for protection of EVMs in the strong room of the District Level EVM and VVPAT Warehouse in Bhadrak as per the standard protocol.
While one platoon of CRPF personnel has been deployed for inner corridor of the three-layer security cordon, one platoon of State Armed Force is on guard in the middle cordon and one platoon of district police is guarding in the outer cordon, the collector said.
On the arrangements for the counting of votes, Bondar said elaborate security arrangements have been made for the purpose at the Bhadrak Sanskriti Bhavan. The counting will start at 8 am on Sunday.
He further said the votes polled through electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be counted at 14 tables while there will be one table for the returning officer in the hall. The votes cast by the voters at 252 polling booths will be counted in 8 rounds. The result is likely to be known by 2 pm, he added.
The first phase of training of the counting officials has been completed and next training would be held on Saturday, the collector said.
