Kolkata |Stringent security arrangements were put in place across West Bengal on Monday as counting of votes for the high-stakes assembly elections will begin at 8 am, officials said.

More than 2.5 lakh personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), along with state police, have been deployed at 77 counting centres across 23 districts under a multi-layered security grid, they said.

Strongrooms housing EVMs were placed under round-the-clock surveillance, as TMC and BJP workers gathered outside several centres in the run-up to counting, triggering sporadic tensions.

"Adequate measures are in place to ensure a smooth and peaceful counting process, with quick response teams on standby to tackle any untoward incidents," an official said.