All the preparations have been completed for Friday when votes polled in the lok Sabha elections 2014 will be counted. Security has been beefed up at the counting venue — Maharana Pratap Sports College, Raipur — and around 600 Government officials headed by Assistant Returning Officers have been assigned the task of counting votes polled in the Tehri and Haridwar Parliamentary constituencies, said Dehradun district election officer and returning officer for Tehri lok Sabha seat Dr BVRC Purushottam on Thursday.
In order to complete the counting peacefully, Purushottam along with SSP Ajay Rautela, other district officers and police officers inspected the counting venue and gave necessary instructions to the officers concerned. Election Commission of India's appointed observers also inspected the counting venue.
He said that all possible steps have been taken to complete counting of votes polled in Tehri and Haridwar lok Sabha constituencies transparently. Fourteen tables have been laid for each assembly constituency constituting the parliamentary constituencies. At each table, one micro observer, one counting supervisor and one counting assistant will be deployed. Eleven assistant returning officers have been appointed for completing the vote counting. Entry pass has been issued for the representatives of political parties and independent candidates to oversee the vote counting process at the venue.
The use of mobile phones at counting venue has been strictly prohibited. Security forces posted at the counting centre have been directed to seize the mobile phone of polling officers, counting agents and candidates caught carrying these, he added.
A media centre has been set up in front of vote counting centre and media persons will be allowed to carry mobile phones within the premises of media centre. The government officers who have been deputed as micro observers, counting supervisors and counting assistants were given training at ONGC. District Panchayat Raj Officer and master trainer Mohammed Mustafa Khan trained the officers on vote counting in detail. The personnel were directed to check the seal on the EVM before they begin counting the votes.
Five micro observers, five counting supervisors and two counting assistants were found absent from the training and they have been served notices. The officers who have assigned on counting duty have been directed to reach the counting venue by 6.30 am on Friday. He appealed the government officers to complete the task of counting of votes with honesty and maintain transparency while executing their duty. Action will be taken against the government officials who are found negligent on duty, he warned.