Lok Sabha Polls 2024: Late trend updates plague Delhi’s counting centres amid heavy security deployment

Lok Sabha Polls 2024

By Kushan Niyogi and Saurav Gupta

The nation is witnessing a massive head-to-head fight between the INDIA alliance, led by Congress and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the counting for the general elections entered the 10^th round.

However, the scenario at counting centres in the Capital left much to be desired.

At the Commonwealth Games Village counting centre in East Delhi, updates regarding the leading and trailing candidates were few and far between. Media personnel seated under the tent were ardently awaiting some input from the Election Commission official stationed at the media centre. However, it was mostly met with a cold shoulder.

Also Read: Election Results 2024: Delhi set for a BJP sweep again

Many huddled around other reporters who were providing them with regular inputs stating the figures that could be seen on the Voters Helpline application of the Election Commission.

Multiple queries made to the officials regarding the vote margins between the leading and trailing candidates led to answers based on old figures.

However, the preparation in itself for the counting day was carried out perfectly with the centre being placed deep inside the complex. The barricades had started a kilometre from the centre, beyond which only media personnel and ECI officials could venture after verification.

Walking inside the compound, one was greeted to a stall where officials and workers had to deposit their mobile phones to promote more sustained vigilance inside the premises.

Visitors then had to go through another security verification.

Inside the makeshift media centre, visitors were treated to breakfast boxes which included a sandwich, a banana, and a mango drink tetra pack.

Water bottles were kept aplenty for media personnel at the centre, while desert coolers helped in keeping the temperatures inside the tents down. Seating arrangements were provided for all inside the tent.

On the other hand, at the Gole Market counting centre in the New Delhi constituency, heavy deployment of security forces was seen alongside three layers of barricading done till the centre.

Multiple screens were also placed inside the centre broadcasting the major news channels to help personnel stay up to date with real time updates of trends witnessed at the stations.

Moreover, a staff on standby was also kept on the premises in case of any emergency.

Presently, the BJP is sweeping the entirety of the national capital, attaining lead on all of the seven seats for the third consecutive term.