By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: A three layered security has been set up in all the counting centres of the State.
An election official said on Tuesday that the strong rooms where the EVMs are kept will be under surveillance of CCTVs.
The counting of votes will begin at 8 am on Thursday. Postal ballots and the votes in EVMs will be simultaneously counted in all the 13 centres in the State.
The first layer of the strong room where the EVMs are kept will be protected by armed central paramilitary troopers. The second layer will be manned by armed State Police personnel while unarmed State Police personnel will keep vigil at the third layer.
Besides this, CRPF personnel assisted by State policemen are on duty at the gate.
According to an Election official, the security is as per the guidelines put forward by the Election Commission.
The official said that at the most there can be a maximum of four rounds of counting.
As many as 14 EVMs will be counted at each round and majority of the results are expected to be out by 10 am. There are more than 6,000 postal ballots in East Khasi Hills alone and 17,225 in total.
However, East Khasi Hills District Electoral Officer, Sanjay Goyal, said that since the postal ballots and EVMs will be simultaneously counted there would not be any delay in declaring the results.
The District administration has identified vulnerable areas in several parts of Shillong where magistrates and police personnel will be posted to prevent any untoward incidents after the declaration of the result.