Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi along with Chief Electoral Officer Jaideep Govind reviewed preparations for counting of votes in all 230 Vidhan Sabha constituencies on December 8. Those present at the review meeting included Additional Chief Electoral Officer Vl Kanta Rao, Joint Chief Electoral Officer SS Bansal, Bhopal Collector Nishant Varvade and other officers.
Zutshi sought information from officers about preparations for counting in all 51 districts. Zutshi said that directives issued recently about counting process by Election Commission of India should be strictly followed. ECI”s directives about counting of postal ballots should be implemented verbatim. Process of randomisation will be held in the presence of observers in all districts 24 hours before counting. He directed to arrange adequate number of counting tables in districts.
He said incoming postal ballots must reach counting tables before 8 am and postal ballots arriving after this time should not be taken up for counting in any case. Department of Post has appointed 230 nodal officers for receipt of postal ballots by mail. After every round, signed photocopies of information in Form 17-C Part II should also be provided to candidates” counting agents.
Zutshi said that counting of postal ballots will start first at 8 am on December 8 and EVM votes will be counted half an hour after this. Postal ballots should be rejected only when they bear any error as per commission”s directive. One ARO will be deployed at every table for counting of postal ballots. Candidates” agents will also be able to see counting of postal ballots at every counting table. ROs will give detailed informed from time to time to observers. Election staff deployed in counting halls will function transparently as directed by the commission and with better coordination.
Jaideep Govind informed that all 230 election observers will be present during counting. He informed that a State-level control room has been set up at CEO office for receiving information of counting from districts. The control room with expert staff has connected with 20 telephone and 5 fax lines. Staff has been divided in 2 groups for receiving leads and results from all 51 districts. For this, computers with internet facility have been installed. Facility of display of round-wise information has been ensured through Genesis software at media room.