Security has been stepped up across counting centres in Kolkata and other districts ahead of the May 4 vote count, with forces maintaining a strict vigil around facilities where EVMs are stored, an official said on Friday.
At Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata’s Bhabanipur, which witnessed high drama till the early hours of Friday, the situation remained calm in the morning as security personnel guarded the premises. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had spent nearly four hours at the counting centre late Thursday night.
The TMC supremo raised concerns over possible malpractice after visiting an EVM strong room and stressed the need for transparency in the counting process.
"It is essential to maintain transparency. People's votes must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints," she told reporters outside the counting centre.
Ahead of the counting of the two-phase elections, Banerjee issued a warning against any attempt to interfere with the process, saying such moves "will not be tolerated".
