Security In Place Ahead Of Vote Counting For Delhi Polls Today

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS) A three-tier security arrangement has been put in place for the 19 counting centres across Delhi ahead of the vote counting for the Delhi Assembly elections on Saturday, officials confirmed.

Visuals showed security personnel deployed outside various counting centres in Delhi.

The security setup includes two companies of paramilitary forces alongside Delhi Police personnel, ensuring a robust security cover. Special Commissioner of Police, Devesh Chandra Srivastava, said that strict measures have been taken to maintain law and order during the counting process.

To eliminate any potential threats, Delhi Police has already conducted anti-sabotage checks at all counting centres. In addition, a traffic management plan has been devised to ensure smooth vehicular movement in the city during the crucial counting period.

Meanwhile, exit polls have predicted a comfortable victory for the BJP in the polls, with AAP falling behind and Congress continuing its dismal performance.

However, AAP leaders have said that exit polls have always underestimated the party's seat count, and they expressed confidence in the party's return to power.

Key constituencies include New Delhi, where AAP leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is contesting against Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit and Parvesh Verma of the BJP. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi is facing BJP's Ramesh Bidhuri and Congress candidate Alka Lamba.

The campaign saw sharp exchanges between leaders of the three parties.

The Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi, on Friday, refuted claims made by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, who alleged that the Election Commission (EC) had not provided booth-wise voting data for the Assembly constituencies.

The poll body clarified that the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, had been "complied with in letter and spirit" at every polling station.

"As per Rule 49S of the Conduct of Election Rules 1961, all the Presiding Officer had furnished the account of votes recorded in Form 17C to every Polling Agent present at the polling station on the day of poll, February 5, 2025," Delhi CEO's office posted on X.

On Friday, Kejriwal alleged that the Election Commission has refused to upload Form 17C, which gives booth-wise the total number of votes polled in each Assembly election.

"EC has refused to upload form 17C and the number of votes polled per booth in each Assembly despite several requests. Aam Aadmi Party has made a website, where we have uploaded all the form 17C of every Assembly," Kejriwal said in a post on X.

The Rule 49S part (1) of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 states, "The presiding officer shall at the close of the poll prepare an account of votes recorded in Form 17C and enclose it in a separate cover with the words 'Account of votes recorded' superscribed thereon.

The second part of Rule 49S states that the presiding officer shall provide a copy of Form 17C to every polling agent.

"The presiding officer shall furnish every polling agent present at the close of the poll a true copy of the entries made in Form 17C after obtaining a receipt from the said polling agent therefor and shall attest it as a true copy," part (2) of Rule 49S of Conduct of Election rules states.

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