Karnataka: Over 13,000 polling staff to be deployed across 29 counting centers

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With more than 13,000 staff deployed at the 29 counting centers across Karnataka for the counting of votes on Tuesday for the 28 Lok Sabha constituencies, elaborate arrangements have been put in place, officials said on Monday.

As the state complies of 28 constituencies, the first phase of polling in the 14 seats in most of the southern and coastal districts was held on April 26 and the second phase in the other 14 segments in the northern districts was held on May 7.

Manoj Kumari Meena, Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka told PTI, "We have 28 Parliamentary Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka and counting of votes at the 29 counting centers in the state will begin at 8 am on Tuesday."

Each Parliamentary Lok Sabha constituency has one counting center each. However, in Tumakuru, counting of votes will be done in two places, so the total number of counting centers is 29.

Manoj Kumari Meena, further mentioned that elaborate arrangements have been made and 13,173 counting staff, including counting supervisors, counting assistants and micro observers have been deployed.

"All necessary training for the staff has also been completed. At each counting center, EVMs and postal ballots will be counted in separate rooms. Media centers have also been set up at each of these counting centers with required facilities (with computers, xerox, fax, printers) so that they can report to their respective media outlets," he added, according to reports by PTI.

More than 2,400 police officers are reportedly appointed in Bengaluru alone at the three counting centers located in the state capital: SSMRV College, Jayanagar (Bangalore South Constituency), St. Joseph's Indian High School, Vithal Mallya Road (Bangalore North Constituency), and Mount Carmel College, Vasantnagar (Bangalore Central Constituency).

In order to guarantee a smooth and secure vote-counting process under tight security, suitable arrangements have been taken for the three Lok Sabha seats located within the boundaries of BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike).

A total of 1,524 officers/personnel, 13 armed reserved units and four quick response teams have been deployed by Bangalore City Police unit for counting day and already 516 police officers and personnel, including civil and City Armed Reserve wings, have been deployed for maintaining strong room security duty in three shifts.

Sale of liquor is prohibited in city limits from Monday midnight to June 4 midnight and prohibitory orders under section 144, CrPC has been imposed in Bengaluru from 6 am on Tuesday to Tuesday midnight.

More than 400 traffic department police officers and personnel will be stationed to ensure that traffic flow around the counting centers is not interrupted, according to the reports from PTI.

A total of more than 2,400 police officers and personnel of the city has been deployed for vote counting duty to monitor the situation in the three counting centers.

According to the police, City Armed Reserve platoons and the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) will be deployed in sensitive areas of the city to no ensure that no untoward incident occurs.