Counting of votes for Gorakhpur, Phulpur today
ALLAHABAD/GORAKHPUR: Counting of votes for Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha by-polls, where voting was held on March 11, will take place on Wednesday. In Allahabad, the exercise will start at Mundera Mandi premises from 8 am, said DM and district election officer Suhas LY.
He said the counting would be done in a phased manner for all five assembly segments that form the Phulpur parliamentary constituency. The DM added that the results were expected to be declared by 2pm.
As per plans, the counting of Phaphamau assembly segment would be completed in 30 rounds while that of Phulpur and Soraon segments would take 32 rounds each. The counting votes of Allahabad North and Allahabad West segments would be completed in 31 rounds each.
Fifteen tables have been set up in tents of each of the five assembly segments.
One table in each tent would be for assistant returning officer and the other 14 would witness the counting of votes. Each of the 70 tables spread would have a supervisor, two counting assistants and one observer each, informed in-charge assistant returning officer, Allahabad Dinesh Kumar Tripathi.
The officials hope to complete the counting process with the help of 320 staff members by 2 pm. The results, however, would be announced only after a green signal from the Election Commission.
During the counting, agents of candidates would remain outside the specially put up barricading, though they would be able to observe the counting process. They would, however, not be allowed to have cell phones, Tripathi made clear.
While CCTV cameras would record the counting, even EVMs being ferried from strong room to the counting table would be videographed .In Gorakhpur, the counting will take place at DDU Gorakhpur University amid tight security. District magistrate Rajeev Rautela said , “The results will be displayed on large LED screens and will also be announced on loudspeaker by concerned returning officer,” Rautela added. To ensure transparency, one VVPAT machine will be selected from each Vidhan Sabha through random draw and verification slips stored in machine will be counted separately once counting through control units gets over.