Tight security arrangements have been put in place for the counting of the votes polled in the Delhi municipal elections. According to news agency PTI, twenty companies of paramilitary personnel and over 10,000 officers of Delhi Police have been deployed at the 42 centres where counting of the votes for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi will be held.
Counting of votes will begin at 8 am on Wednesday, December 7.
Heavy deployment of police personnel has also been made outside the offices of political parties. Security arrangements have also been made to ensure there are no clashes between activists of different parties during the counting and after the results are declared, reported PTI, citing police officials.
Tight security arrangements are also being made outside strongrooms where Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are stored and the counting centres by the Delhi Police.
"We are fully prepared for the counting day and keeping a strict vigil on the strongrooms," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Public Relations) Suman Nalwa, as reported by PTI.
While speaking to the news agency, another official of Delhi Police said, "We have deployed more than 10,000 personnel from local and district levels at the 42 counting centres along with 20 companies of the Central Armed Police Force."
Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dependra Pathak had earlier said that maintaining security post the counting and celebrations was also important for the Delhi police.
"We are here with a focused role of maintaining law and order and providing a safe and secure environment. If anything is going to disturb this, then professional police and legal action will be taken," Pathak added, as reported by PTI.
Elections to the 250-ward Municipal Corporation of Delhi were held on Sunday, December 4. The election is largely being seen as a straight fight between Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Congress does not seem to pose a strong challenge to any of the parties.