Three-tier security in place at counting centre in Coimbatore

Coimbatore: A three-tier security arrangement has been put in place at the counting centre, where electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) units used in all 10 constituencies are stored.EVMs have been brought to Govt College of Technology campus on Thadagam Road and stored under strict security protocols. EVMs from all 10 assembly constituencies in the district have been placed in separate rooms and sealed properly. The vote counting centre is equipped with a three-tier security arrangement, and 390 CCTV cameras are installed to ensure round-the-clock surveillance. In the first layer, Central Armed Police Forces equipped with weapons would guard the strong rooms, where the machines are stored. In the next layer, personnel from the Tamil Nadu Special Police have been deployed, and in the third layer, armed reserve personnel have been stationed. Special viewing facilities have been arranged for political party agents to monitor the counting process. The sealed EVMs would remain under 24-hour security surveillance until the counting day. All security measures have been implemented as per the election commission guidelines to ensure the integrity and transparency of the electoral process.