The Election Commission had made elaborate arrangements for the counting day amid apprehensions of widespread bungling by the ruling Trinamool Congress with the help of the State administration and the police.
Even as 5,628 tables were readied for 48 counting venues to be put under a three-tier security, the Bengal Opposition on Thursday apprehended widespread bungling on the counting day by the TMC.
“We have definite reports that the Trinamool is preparing to rig the counting even after rigging the elections,” alleged Congress MP and PCC member Pradip Bhattacharya, adding he had written a letter to the Election Commission airing his party’s concerns.
Similarly, left Front chairman Biman Bose alerted his party men saying “the Trinamool is eying all the 42 seats from Bengal by doing some mischief. There can be sudden power cuts during the counting, swapping of the EVM machines or even posting the secured votes of one candidate against the name of another candidate.” Anything could happen “under this goonda raj,” he added.
However making clear that the counting process would be initiated in a fully secured manner, Deputy Chief Election Commissioner Amitabha Sengupta said in addition to the 16 companies of Central forces manning the strongrooms another 16 companies would be deployed in the counting venues.
Three Deputy Commissioner-rank officials would be in charge of each counting centre, it was reported. As a precautionary measure the Commission had also banned victory processions in sensitive zones like Burdwan and elsewhere.
Counting would be directly supervised by 43 general observers and 55 counting observers, Assistant Chief Electoral Officer A Bhattacharya said adding, “we have thrown a three-tier security ring around the counting centres”, which would be monitored by CCTV cameras. While alternative power source have been kept ready, 100 metres from the counting zones have been put under Section 144.
While the counting would start at 8 am, trends would start coming in by 11 am. The results are expected by 5 pm, sources said.
The Trinamool Congress, which had done exceptionally well in the 2009 elections could get anywhere between 20 and 30 seats as per exit polls whereas the left could clinch between 9 and 16 seats. The Congress was likely to get 4-5 seats, while the BJP could win 2-4 seats.
Meanwhile, post-poll violence continued to rock Bengal with more houses looted and opposition workers attacked at places like Midnapore, Nadia, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas. At least eight people were injured and about 20 houses were looted, left and the Congress leaderships claimed.