IT News
Imphal, March 9:
All arrangements for the counting of votes on March 10 are in full swing, said District Election Officer, Th. Kirankumar, highlighting that counting for the 13 Assembly Constituencies of the district will be held at two separate venues on Tuesday.
As for the 10 Assembly constituencies in Imphal East district counting of votes will be held at 5 venues, as per a statement by the DEO Khumanthem Diana.
A notification by the DEO Imphal East, the counting which will begin tomorrow at 8 am will be held at 5 halls. For the Khundrakpam and Lamlai Assembly Constituencies counting will be held at Hall No 1 which will be arranged at Panchayat Bhavan DC. Office Complex, Imphal East. For Heingang and Khurai ACs, the counting will be held at hall No. 2 of Panchayat Bhavan DC. Office Complex, Imphal East. For Kshetrigao and Thongju ACs and the Yaiskul and Wangkhei ACs counting will be held at Hall No. 3 and 4 of Gymnasium Hall, D.C. Office Complex Imphal East. While for Andro and the Keirao ACs the counting of votes will be held at SIRD Canteen, DC Office Complex Imphal East.
In each Hall, the sequence for counting of the votes by the respective Returning Officers will be as per ascending AC members. In other words, Khundrakpam, Heingang, Kshetrigao, Keirao, and Yaiskul ACs will be counting first in their respective Halls followed by Lamlai, Khurai, Thongju, Andro and Wangkhei ACs.
Briefing media persons, the DEO said that counting for the 13 ACs will take place at the Imphal West DC Office Complex and DM College of Teachers’ Education. He stressed that there will be 4+1 counting halls at the DC Office Complex for Keishamthong AC, Singjamei AC, Sekmai AC, Lamsang AC, Konthoujam AC, Patsoi AC, Wangoi AC, Mayang Imphal AC and a separate hall for ETPBS/PB. Another 3 counting halls (with EVMS) at the DMCTE for Thangmeiband AC, Sagolband AC, Uripok AC, Langthabal AC and Naoriya Pakhanglakpa AC.
The DEO further explained that counting will start at 8am of March 10 onwards for Postal ballots and counting on EVM will start at 8:30 am onwards. Returning Officers having two ACs will take up counting in a sequential manner, one after completion of another. There will be seven tables per counting hall for EVMs; he said adding that one table will be designated as VVPAT Counting Booth (VCB). ETBPS Counting will start with scanning process and counting process for Ballot Papers.
DEO Kirankumar said that 3,45,481 votes were casted on EVM at Polling Stations out of a total of 3,80480. Out of 3280 Postal Ballots for Absentee voters 3215 votes were casted, he added.
He continued that Imphal West has 4554 voters on election duty, out of which 229 votes were casted at facilitation centres and another 2711 votes have been received through post as on March 7, 2022. Altogether 1400 Service votes have also been received till March 7, 2022, out of 3194 Service Voters in the district, he added.
He continued that one PB voters on election duty whose AC is not identified in Cover B or 13C shall be taken up to decide the AC or validity at 8AM on counting day in Kombirei Hall of the DC office complex in the presence of DEO and Nodal/ Postal Ballot (Officer in charge) and other ROs and candidates/ agents.
There are another three at the DMTCE for Thangmeiband AC, Sagolband AC, Uripok AC, Langthabal AC and Naoriya Pakhanglakpa AC, he added. The strong rooms have 24×7 CCTV coverage and there is regular inspection on a daily basis, he said adding that CAPF are on guard 24×7. Candidates and their agents can visit according to official norms and inspect, he added.
For the counting agents, the DEO said that all counting agents should carry their I-Cards issued by the concerned ROs and COVID double-dose Vaccination certificate or 72-hour RTPCR Test Report. He said no mobile phones or camera are allowed inside the hall and all mobiles will be deposited with the concerned ROs. He continued that agents should not move around unnecessarily.
