The stage is set for the June 4 counting of votes polled in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, with authorities deploying 179 observers, 80 returning officers, and making multi-layer security arrangements at 81 centres set up across the state.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said here on Sunday that the counting of votes for Lok Sabha general election-2024 would commence from 8 am on June 4 in 81 counting centres in 75 districts of the state. The counting and sealing proceedings will be conducted under CCTV surveillance.

Counting of votes will take place at two centres each in Agra, Meerut, Azamgarh, Deoria, Sitapur, Kushinagar districts. Counting of votes of eight Lok Sabha constituencies will take place in three districts, counting of votes of 37 Lok Sabha constituencies will take place in two districts and counting of votes of 35 Lok Sabha constituencies will take place in one district.

The CEO said that the counting of postal ballots will take place at the counting venue of returning officer/district headquarters of the district. The votes will be counted assembly constituency wise. Thereafter, the result of the Lok Sabha constituency will be declared by adding up the results of the assembly constituencies.

The counting of votes in Ghaziabad Lok Sabha constituency and Sahibabad assembly constituency will be completed within 41 rounds and they have a maximum number of 1,127 polling booths.

According to Navdeep Rinwa, the Election Commission of India has deployed 179 observers for counting of votes. Fifteen observers will be deployed in one assembly constituency, 104 observers will be deployed in two assembly constituencies and 60 in three assembly constituencies.

The counting of votes in 80 Lok Sabha constituencies will be supervised by 80 returning officers and 1,581 assistant returning officers. Counting of votes in assembly seats where bypoll was held will be supervised by the returning officer and assistant returning officer under the watchful eyes of the CCTV.

A total of 851 candidates are in the fray in the Lok Sabha general elections 2024, out of which 771 are men and 80 are women. Maximum 28 candidates are in Ghosi Lok Sabha constituency and least four candidates are in Kaiserganj Lok Sabha constituency.

Adequate deployment of central paramilitary forces has also been done to ensure safe counting of votes.

The CEO said for appointment as polling agent, the candidate or his election agent has to apply to the returning officer on Form-18 three days before the date of commencement of counting of votes. There is no prescribed qualification for appointing a counting agent. Candidates above 18 years of age can be made counting agents.

The Election Commission of India has prohibited the appointment of members of the council of ministers, MPs, MLAs, mayor, chairperson of municipal council/nagar panchayat as counting agents. There is a ban on appointing persons protected by the central/state government as counting agents

However, there is no restriction on appointing village heads, sarpanch, panchayat members, councillors etc. as counting agents, who are residents of the constituency. Non-resident Indians (NRIs) can also be made counting agents.

For security at the counting centres, a three-tier security system has been put in place to protect the counting venue. The first level of security will be at a radius of 100 metres from the counting site, where the state police force will be deployed. The second level of security will be at the gate of the counting venue, where the state police force will be deployed. The third level of security will be for the counting hall which will be under the supervision of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

The chief electoral officer said district election officers had been instructed to lay special emphasis on the dos and don’ts for counting personnel in view of the heatwave conditions.

The counting personnel should use light cotton clothes and wear a cap, or carry an umbrella or cotton towel or any other cloth to cover the head, he advised.

They should keep a water bottle, drink lemonade or ORS to keep themselves hydrated, he said.

Instructions have also been given to ensure fans, coolers and sitting arrangements for candidates, their agents, counting personnel and other employees.