Counting to take place at 40 centres in Bihar amid tight security

PATNA — The counting of votes for all the 40 parliamentary seats of Bihar will take place in as many counting centres set up in 33 districts amid tight security, officials said here.

The counting will start at 8 a.m. on June 4. The preparation for the counting is currently underway in the districts where the centres have been established.

The control units, electoral units (EVMs) and VVPATs have been kept in specially designed strong rooms with three layers of security. The strong rooms are being monitored round the clock through CCTV cameras. The paramilitary forces and state police have been deployed at the centres for the security of EVMs.

The Election Commission has also issued two helpline numbers — 0612-2217601 and 0612-2217602 — at the state headquarters in Patna. They will work from 7 a.m. on June 4 and anyone can register complaints.

According to an official of the Election Commission, the counting centres were not established in the Sheohar, Saharsa, Sheikhpura and Arwal districts while one centre was established for two Lok Sabha constituencies in some districts.

In Patna, Anugrah Narayan College is the venue of the counting centre for Patna Sahib and Patliputra Lok Sabha constituencies.

The Patna district administration has decided to close the traffic operation on Boring Road from 5 a.m. on June 4. The commuters will not be allowed to enter that stretch from Boring Road Chowk on one end and the water tank area on the other side except for emergency services like ambulances. Commercial vehicles will be also prevented from going on the Boring Canal Road from Rajapur Bridge to Hartali Chowk.

The counting centre of Sasaram (SC Reserved) seat was formed in Kaimur while the counting centre of Karakat was formed in Sasaram.