All set for counting of votes: Telangana CEO
The CEO said that they have received 2.18 lakh postal ballots to date and the number will increase
By Newsmeter Network Published on 2 Jun 2024 7:57 AM GMT
Hyderabad: The 2024 Lok Sabha election counting and declaration of results in Telangana will likely be completed by 3 to 4 pm on June 4 unless any significant issues arise on the counting day, said Telangana chief electoral officer (CEO) Vikas Raj, IAS.
The counting will begin at 8 am in 34 counting centres spread over 119 Assembly segments under 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, he said, adding that no cell phones or electronic devices would be allowed inside the counting centre.
10,000 election staff will be deployed
Sharing details about counting arrangements in Telangana, Vikas Raj said that over 10,000 polling staff with an additional 5,000 on standby will be involved in the counting process.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has posted 49 observers to oversee the counting in Telangana and they would be reporting to duty by 10.30 am on Sunday, he stated.
The CEO said that they have received 2.18 lakh postal ballots to date and the number will increase as the commission is still receiving ballots under the ETPBS (Electronic Transmitted Postal Ballot System). We will consider the votes received under ETPBS till 8 am on the counting day, he added.
What is the process of counting?
Vikas Raj said the counting of postal ballots and EVMs will be held in different halls.
For each Lok Sabha segment, counting of postal ballots will be held in one hall barring two halls for Chevella and Malkajgiri segments where the number of postal ballots is higher.
The counting of EVM votes will be held in 120 halls with only the Maheshwaram Assembly segment accounting for two halls.
How many rounds of counting?
Each Lok Sabha segment has seven Assembly constituencies under it and counting will be held in multiple rounds.
While the highest number of rounds (24) would be required for counting in Choppadandi, Yakuthpura and Devarakonda Assembly segments, the lowest (13 rounds) would be required in Armoor, Bhadrachalam and Ashwaraopet segments. Counting in other Assembly segments under each Lok Sabha seat will be completed in 18 to 21 rounds, Vikas Raj said.
After the counting of EVM votes is over, VVPAT counting of five polling stations for each Assembly segment will be held as per Supreme Court directions and the data will be cross-checked.
Vikas Raj said that they did this same process for the previous Assembly elections in Telangana and did not face any problems and he hoped it would be the same this time.
Heavy security to oversee the counting process
The counting halls and centres will be under CCTV cameras to watch over the process all day long. No rallies would be allowed and liquor shops would be closed but local police were told to take a call on rallies provided no law and order problems arise.
The polling staff have been adequately trained on the counting process; various issues that may crop up such as ways to tackle them and the steps to be followed while declaring the results of each round.
Additionally, 800 staff from the IT department and other agencies will be on duty to cross-check the results and regularly upload the results, per each round on the ECI website.
A three-tier security arrangement will be in place in each counting centre with state police and central security forces to provide security at various levels.
Replying to queries, the CEO said that they would not be conducting breath analyser tests for the polling staff. The exit polls would also be telecast, as per ECI orders, from 6.30 pm.
Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly bypoll
CEO Vikas Raj said, the counting of postal ballots and EVMs would be held in the same hall only for the Secunderabad Cantonment segment that voted for Lok Sabha polls (under Malkajgiri seat) and Assembly seat, where a by-election was necessitated following the death of BRS MLA Lasya Nanditha in a road accident.
MLC election results on June 2 and June 5
Meanwhile, the counting for the Mahabubnagar Local Authorities constituency is scheduled for June 2 (Sunday) while the counting for Nalgonda, Warangal and Khammam Graduates constituencies will be taken up on June 5, the CEO said.
While only three candidates ā from Congress, BRS and an independent are in the fray for the Mahababunagar seat ā the other MLC Graduate seat has 52 contenders including Teenmar Mallannna (Congress), Rakesh Reddy (BRS), Premender Reddy (BJP).
Counting for the NLG-WGL-KHMM Graduates segment will be held in four counting centres in Telangana Warehouse Corporation premises in Thipparthy, Nalgonda district from 8 am on June 5.
