Preparations are in full swing for counting of votes in Madhya Pradesh on December 8. Apart from a contact room, every counting venue will also have a media centre.
Charge of every media centre will be entrusted to a responsible and competent officer. Four necessary media requirements will be made available for media coverage. The Election Commission has issued guidelines in this regard.
Administrative machinery is focusing its attention to another important link of electoral process now. Every counting centre will have telephone with STD facility, fax and computer (with printer and Internet). A contact room will also be set up where chairs and tables of officers will be placed.
Directives have been given for hotline for direct dialogue with the Chief Electoral Officer.
A separate room will also be reserved for election observer from where he will be in touch with the commission secretly. District election officers/returning officers have been asked to keep in constant touch with the Chief Electoral Officer and have a telephone with STD facility for maintaining constant contact with him. A fax machine in good condition should also be kept at counting venue to fax reports/documents to the CEO and the commission during counting.
The commission has also directed to set up a media centre at a proper place. Media centre of adequate length and width separately from main counting hall.
It will have facilities of phone, fax and data communication. Returning officer and an officer of Public Relations Department capable of overseeing arrangements will be deputed in the media centre.
Videography and photography will not be allowed inside counting hall. Only official recording of counting process will be allowed.
Except returning officer and commission’s observer, no one else will be allowed to carry mobile phone in counting hall. Three-tier structures and police will cordon off the counting centre so that no unauthorised person can enter it. A senior magistrate with adequate security personnel will be deployed there to control entry in counting hall. People will be allowed to enter counting hall after frisking by police.