The procedure of scanning postal ballots may take upto 12 hours, district election department sources said.
(Representational Image; Photo: IANS)
Counting of votes for Parliamentary election will take more time than previous election and declaration of final results may be made on the night of 23 May or the morning of 24 May, said Alipurduar district election department sources.
Alipurduar District Magistrate, Subhanjan Das also confirmed that counting procedure would take time. Mr Das along with other district officers and Alipurduar Superintendent, Sunil Kumar Yadav, met the press at the conference room of the DM to discuss the procedure of votes counting, scheduled to be held on 23 May at Alipurduar College building.
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“We will conduct the counting as per the guidelines of Election Commission of India (ECI). Strong room will be opened at 6:30 am in the morning on 23 May in the presence of candidates. We will start postal ballots at 8 am,” said Mr Das.
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“The guidelines of the ECI state that we are allowed to start the second round counting until the procedure of first round counting is completed and it may take time,” added Mr Das.
At least five ‘Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trial’ (VVPAT) must be counted in one Assembly Constituency. The VVPATs will be counted one by one and not more than one at a time. This VVPAT counting procedure will take time on the day of counting, it is learnt.
Moreover, postal ballots which are electronically transmitted will be counted after it is electronically scanned. The procedure of scanning postal ballots may take upto 12 hours, district election department sources said.
“There will be three-tier security arrangements in the counting centre. There will two entrances and officers engaged in the counting and media personnel will use one entrance while the other entrance will be used by political party representatives. The first two tiers of security outside will be maintained by the state police force and the third tier of security will be maintained by the central forces,” said Alipurduar SP, Mr Yadav.
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