Security beefed up at vote counting centres in Hyd’bad, Sec 144 imposed

Hyderabad: With the counting of votes for the 2023 Assembly election set to begin at 8 am on December 3 Sunday, security has been beefed up across the city, especially at counting centres. City police imposed Section 144 at counting centres and surrounding areas. Tight security arrangements have been made at the centres set up at 15 locations in Hyderabad district.

According to the Election authorities, stringent security arrangements have been made for the counting day and the strong rooms, where EVMs are kept, are secured with central paramilitary forces.

As a part of security arrangements, the three city Commissionerate apart from imposing Section 144 also deployed the Rapid Action Force, Telangana State Special Police, City Armed Reserve Force, and Quick Response Team on the counting day. The strong rooms-cum-counting centres are located in 14 places in Hyderabad, 10 in Cyberabad and six in Rachakonda Commissionerate.

The police said that they were taking the step to maintain public order, peace and tranquillity in Hyderabad. Section 144 will be imposed in those surrounding areas.

The Hyderabad district election authorities said that after the completion of polling for Assembly elections, the EVM machines were secured in the strong rooms set up in the centres and the police have arranged heavy security at the strong rooms. No one is allowed near the rooms where the EVMs are kept.

The counting centres have been set up in government offices, colleges and warehouses in all district centers including Hyderabad. Strict protocols and guidelines have been issued to ensure the safety and security of the EVMs and other election-related materials. The entire process is being closely monitored by the Election Commission to ensure a free and fair counting of votes.

The DEO said “Only people authorised could enter the counting hall, besides candidates, their election agents and counting agents. Counting agents are not allowed to carry mobile phones inside the counting centres and will not be allowed to leave during the process. Generally, there would be 14 tables arranged at each counting centre and in case if the voters in a particular constituency were higher, more tables would be arranged”.

“The winning candidate will be declared, and a certificate will be prepared after obtaining clearance from the Election Commission with the approval of the ECI, the Chief Electoral Officer”, he added.

The 14 counting centres were set up at AV College Domalguda (Musheerabad constituency), Indoor Stadium Amberpet (Malakpet), RB Venkatrama Reddy Women’s College Narayanaguda (Amberpet), Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy Indoor Stadium Yousufguda (Khairtabad and Jubilee Hills), College of Commerce and Business Management Osmania University (Sanath Nagar), Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University Masab Tank (Nampally), Government Polytechnic College Masab Tank (Karwan), ESRA Hall, Telangana Mahila Vishwa Vidyalayam Women’s College Koti (Goshamahal), Kamala Nehru Polytechnic College for Women, Nampally Exhibition Ground (Charminar), Nizam College Basheerbagh (Chandrayangutta), Sarojini Naidu VanitaMaha Vidyalaya Nampally (Yakutpura), Aurora Legal Sciences Academy Bandlaguda (Bahadurpura), Professor G Ram Reddy Distance Education Study Centre, OU (Secunderabad) and CSI Institute of Technology, Wesley College Ground Secunderabad (Cantonment).