Mysuru:  The two counting centres, one at Maharani’s Women’s Commerce and Management College on Valimiki Road and NIE-IT at Koorgalli which was a beehive of activity yesterday, returned to normalcy today.

The Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and VVPATs (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) which were used for counting of votes cast by the electorate on May 12 were seen being transported to warehouse on Seshadri Iyer Road opposite Vidyavardhaka First Grade College.

Just as tight police security was provided for the EVMs and VVPATs kept in the strong rooms earlier, the same kind of security is now being provided at the warehouse where these machines are stored. On the directions of the Election Commission, they will be kept there for 45 days, said the officials involved in the Election process.

The CCTV cameras, furniture and many other paraphernalia as part of the election machinery used at both the counting centres and installed by the Revenue Department is slowly being removed. The footage in the CCTV cameras will be safely stored under the guidance of the Election Commission.

There was a temporary road that was constructed covering the drainage that led from Valmiki Road to the Maharan’s Women’s Commerce and Management College. Now that is being removed.

Yesterday the parking lots in both the counting centres were filled with both four wheelers and two wheelers. But today very few vehicles were seen. The shamiana set up for the Police and election officials where breakfast was served and also the barricades put around the area yesterday, has also been removed.

Deserted look at CM’s house

Meanwhile,Chief Minister Siddharamaiah’s house in T.K. Layout which was buzzing with activity looked completely deserted this morning with very few people seen in the vicinity. As part of the protocol, the security personnel had always been stationed outside the house. However, the number had gone down with only two of them seen today.

Siddharamaiah having lost in his home turf Chamundeshwari, that too by a huge margin, has dented his image in spite of his and his son Dr. Yathindra’s win at Badami and Varuna respectively. “This is the price a leader has to pay for his actions,” was heard by one of the bystanders muttering outside the house. However, it is learnt that if Siddharamaiah as former Chief Minister demands security at his house, it will be provided following the protocol rules.