Kolkata, May 1: The Election Commission has directed general observers for all 294 assembly seats in West Bengal to be present at their respective counting centers and halls by 8 AM on May 4, when the counting begins. The observers are also required to remain until the counting is complete and the winning candidates are issued their certificates.
A source from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) office in West Bengal stated that the general observers will be held accountable for any irregularities or disturbances during the counting process.
The observers must regularly update the central control room at the CEO office in Kolkata and the district magistrate’s offices about the counting proceedings.
In the meantime, the Election Commission has already put in place several measures to prevent violence or disturbances on and after the counting day.
According to the source, 200 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will be deployed for security in the most secure areas of the counting centers. Additionally, there will be two more layers of security, one inside and one outside each counting center.
To strengthen security, the number of counting centers has been reduced to 77. Authorized election officials, staff, political party agents, and candidates will have to undergo a three-tier verification process to enter the counting centers.
The first two phases will involve manual checks of identification documents, while the third phase will utilize QR codes for identity verification. In light of the violence that occurred after the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections, the Election Commission has decided to maintain the deployment of 700 companies of CAPF in the state until further notice.
Deependra Singh Chundawat is a Senior Sub-Editor at Udaipur Kiran, specializing in a wide range of technology topics including mobile phones, applications, gaming, PCs, and wearables. Along with covering the latest tech news, he also creates engaging web stories. Passionate about emerging technologies, he stays up to date with the newest trends and enjoys reading and writing about the latest mobile launches and digital innovations.
