West Bengal polls: Three-tier security for all counting centres, says CEO

West Bengal CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal assures three-tier security for all counting centres for a smooth vote counting process. He stated that the EC has not marked any centres as sensitive, ensuring uniform arrangements are in place everywhere.

Three-Tier Security for All Counting Centres

As West Bengal braces for the high-stakes conclusion of its electoral process, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal said that the Election Commission has ensured the same arrangement at every counting centre, providing a three-tier security for the smooth conduct of the counting process.

Speaking with ANI, Manoj Kumar Agarwal clarified that the EC has not specified any centres as sensitive or non-sensitive, providing equal arrangements everywhere. "The arrangements are the same everywhere, there are no sensitive or non-sensitive counting centres...There is a three-tier security. Besides CAPF, there are the Armed Police and the State Police. All kinds of arrangements are in place. There is no issue at all," he said.

EC Seeks Uninterrupted Power Supply

The Election Commission has also requested the power department to ensure an uninterrupted power supply during the counting

"Power cuts are not in the hands of Election Commission. It is up to the Power Department. I have made all requests for the Power Department to provide an uninterrupted power supply. Generators are available too, there will be no issue," he said.

Counting Process and Exit Polls

The counting of votes in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Keralam, and the Union Territory of Puducherry will begin at 8:00 am on Monday.

The process will commence with the counting of postal ballots at 8:00 am, followed by EVM counting from 8:30 am.

Round-wise results will be updated in real time on the ECINET platform and the official Election Commission portal.

Exit polls for West Bengal have projected a tight contest on the 294 seats between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress (TMC). While some projections, including Chanakya Strategies and Matrize, have given an edge to the BJP, others suggest a closer fight with TMC retaining a significant share of seats. Smaller parties are also expected to play a limited role in the outcome.

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