Bihar polls: Covid-19 preparations amid counting of votes

Counting centres have been increased from 38 in 2019 Lok Sabha polls to 55 centres in order to maintain social distancing rules

As Bihar awaits its new chief minister, the Election Commission has ensured that counting of votes takes place with maximum Covid-19 precautions in place.

Counting centres have been increased from 38 in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls to 55 centres housing 414 halls this year in order to maintain the social distancing rules.

“Earlier we used to have 38 counting centre for 38 districts but this time we have 55 counting centres and the simple reason is that we want to maintain social distancing,” chief of Bihar Election Commissioner HR Srinivasa told ANI on Monday.

Follow live updates on the Bihar counting day here

In addition to the extra counting centres, the security at the centres has been tightened. The EC has allocated 19 companies of paramilitary forces to guard the strongrooms. 59 companies of paramilitary forces are in place to maintain the general law and order. The security forces deployed include personnel from Central Armed Police Forces, Bihar Military Police and district police.

To prevent crowding around the counting centres, Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code has also been imposed.

The counting of votes from all the14 constituencies in Patna is being carried out at one centre set up at AN College. Within the college, 30 counting halls have been set up. A three-tier security system has been formulated for strongrooms and the counting centres.

The maximum number of counting centres -- three each -- has been set up in the four districts of East Champaran (which has 12 assembly constituencies), Gaya (10 constituencies), Siwan (eight constituencies) and Begusarai (seven). Other districts either have one or two counting centres each.

Face masks are mandatory for entering into the counting centres apart from the availability of sanitisers in adequate quantity.

(With agency inputs)