Three-tier security deployed for counting of votes in Jammu, Kathua

NEW DELHI: With the counting of votes for the Jammu and Udhampur Lok Sabha constituencies scheduled for Tuesday, along with the rest of the country, a three-tier security system has been activated in and around the counting centers in the two districts.
The fate of 34 candidates, including prominent figures such as BJP leader and Union Minister Jitendra Singh, current Jammu MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, and former ministers Choudhary Lal Singh and Raman Bhalla of the Congress, will be determined by the counting of over 23.94 lakh votes.
Sachin Kumar Vaishya, the Returning Officer and Jammu District Magistrate, assured that all necessary arrangements have been made for the June 4 vote counting. The counting process will take place at two venues: the Polytechnic College and M A M College. Vaishya stated, "Votes from the seven assembly constituencies will be counted at M A M College, while 11 constituencies will be tallied at Polytechnic College." The administration has thoroughly trained the staff and sensitized all polling agents for the counting process, including a comprehensive examination of the deployment of security personnel and the setup for counting staff and agents.
In the Jammu constituency, over 12.86 lakh votes (72.22 per cent) will be counted, with BJP's sitting MP Jugal Kishore Sharma aiming for a third consecutive victory against Raman Bhalla, the working president of the J&K Congress unit, among 22 other candidates.
Both BJP and Congress have expressed confidence in winning the seat, with Sharma stating, "We are very confident that BJP will win this seat. It was predicted by the exit polls as well."
In Kathua, a three-tier security system is also in place for the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency counting. Kathua Superintendent of Police Anayat Ali Choudhary assured that elaborate security arrangements have been made, with enhanced security deployed along the International Border (IB) and inter-district checkpoints to monitor and prevent any anti-social or anti-national activities.
The counting center for the Udhampur Lok Sabha seat is set up at the Government Degree College Kathua, equipped with multi-tier security and 24×7 CCTV surveillance.
The Udhampur-Doda parliamentary constituency recorded a 68.23 per cent voter turnout on April 19, with 16,23,195 eligible voters casting their ballots. Over 11.08 lakh votes will determine the fate of 12 candidates, including Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, who seeks a third consecutive win, competing against former minister and two-time MP Choudhary Lal Singh of the Congress. The counting process will involve 225 tables, each staffed by three personnel, with 60 tables designated for ETPBS votes.
Nearly 10,000 staff members will handle the entire counting process, ensuring a smooth and secure tallying of the votes.