Haridwar Police Juggle Chardham Yatra Rush and Vote Counting Preparations

In Haridwar, the police are managing an unprecedented rush of Chardham pilgrims while preparing for the vote counting in Uttarakhand on June 4. DGP Abhinav Kumar assured that there has been no laxity in preparations despite the busy Yatra schedule. Security measures for EVMs have been thoroughly reviewed.

While managing the unprecedented rush of Chardham pilgrims and ensuring their safety on a priority basis, police have made all preparations for the counting of votes in Uttarakhand on June 4, Director General of Police Abhinav Kumar said on Thursday.

A huge rush of pilgrims is reaching the Chardham temples this year and most of the police force of the state has been busy running the Yatra smoothly, the DGP told PTI. However, this has not led to any laxity in preparations for the counting of votes on June 4, Kumar said. It is also being done simultaneously alongside Chardham Yatra management ''I can say that we are fully prepared for the exercise on June 4,'' he said.

As single-phase polling to the five Lok Sabha seats in the state was held on April 19 itself the security of EVMs for about more than one and a half months was quite a challenge, the DGP said. EVMs of all seats have been kept under tight security, he said. Apart from the police force, paramilitary forces and intelligence personnel have also been deployed for the security of EVMs, the DGP said. Preparations have been reviewed at all the counting centres of the state. He said that he hopes that the counting of votes for all 5 Lok Sabha seats in the state will be completed peacefully on June 4.