On the directives of Election Commission of India, only authorised persons will be allowed to enter in counting venues. These include counting observers and counting assistants, persons authorised by Election Commission, Government servants on election duty and candidates, their election and counting agents. It has been directed to ensure before start of counting that no person other than authorised persons is present in the counting hall.
The commission has also directed to pay attention to the fact that police officers do not come under the category of “Government servants on election duty” whether they are in uniform or plainclothes. In ordinary conditions, they should not be allowed inside the counting hall except when their presence if required to maintain law and order.
Similarly, Ministers and Deputy Ministers of the state and Central Government also do not fall under this category. They can enter counting hall only when they are themselves candidates. As per new rules of the commission, they cannot be appointed as election or counting agents since they are under security of gunmen.
Therefore, they will not be allowed entering counting hall. The commission has directed not to allow entry of such unauthorised persons of above-mention description in any counting venue. Meanwhile, the Damoh Collector has suspended 3 employees and one Rural Extension Officer for remaining absent from election team training. Rural Extension Officer Neelmani Dixit posted at the office of Sub-Divisional Agriculture Office was deputed as presiding officer.
Dixit has been suspended with immediate effect due to disruption caused in election work on account of his absence from training to polling staff. The district collector has also suspended Assistant of Hata Janpad Panchayat Prem Prakash Rai, Assistant Teacher of Government Higher Secondary School laxman Kuti Chtitar Singh Thakur and teacher of Government Higher Secondary School Bamhori Mala Sunil Ahirwar with immediate effect due to their absence from polling team training.