It takes 25 checkposts to enter the highly-fortified vote counting centre set up at the School of Engineering and Technology on the Sri Padmavati Mahila Viswa Vidyalayam (SPMVV) campus in Tirupati.
In view of the high stakes involved in Tirupati district and the spate of violent incidents witnessed after the polling day on the university campus, the authorities concerned have done everything possible to ensure high security at the counting centre.
Superintendent of Police V. Harshavardhan Raju, while addressing a meeting of officials deployed for counting, here, on June 2 (Sunday), minced no words while speaking on the strict frisking measures one has to undergo before being allowed into the counting hall.
There are seven cut-off points at the inner cordon where the visiting personnel will be frisked through hand-held and door-frame metal detectors. “Apart from the authorisation letters issued by the Returning Officer, the police personnel on duty should ensure that the counting staff and agents of political parties mandatorily carry an original identity card before allowing their entry,” the SP said.
Mobile phones will be allowed only for the Observers, Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers, ETPB operators. For others, pens, water bottles, spy cameras, button cameras, mobile phones and other forms of electronic gadgets will not be allowed.
As a glaring chink in the armour, the varsity’s compound wall behind the strongroom opens into the road leading to Thummalagunta, which needs to be guarded extra cautiously in view of the recent entry of outsiders into the campus a day after the polling.
Acknowledging the fact, Mr. Raju asked the police personnel to guard this area to prevent the entry of troublemongers. The police personnel have also been instructed to ensure the strict implementation of the prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Cr.PC. The SP asked the police to use mild force, if required.
