Preparations in full swing for counting of votes in Amritsar

Amritsar, Mar 5 (ANI): As Punjab gets set the counting of votes on Tuesday, the district commissioner of Amritsar along with the city's police commissioner reviewed preparations and security at the vote counting venues.

Three major university campuses have been chosen for the counting of votes, which will decide the fates of contesting candidates in nine constituencies of the state assembly.

Police Commissioner R.P. Mittal said security would be on high alert to ensure peaceful counting.

"The counting for nine assembly constituencies will be conducted in three different locations of Amritsar. In every assembly segment, we have deployed one Deputy Superintendent of Police/Assistant Commissioner of Police rank officer, and at the three main campuses, we will have one Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police ranked officer. Sufficient police force has been deployed," Mittal told media in Amritsar.

The ensuing polls are being viewed as an opportunity for India's major parties to re-establish or strengthen their footholds in the country's five major states.

The Congress, led by former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is quite hopeful of wresting power from the BJP-Shiromani Akali Dal combine.

Congress is contesting all 117 seats here, while SAD 94 and BJP 23. In the last election SAD had won 50 seats, Congress 42, BJP 19 and independents 6. (ANI)