JOIN USPolitical temperatures to go up on blistering Thursday
The temperatures are expected to soar high as the weatherman has predicted 37 degree Celsius for Thursday in Mysuru and surrounding areas and also because the results of the Nanjangud and Gundlupet bypolls, for which polling was held on April 9, will be announced after the counting of votes.
The district administrations of both Mysuru and Chamarajanagar have made elaborate arrangements for the counting of votes, amid tight security arrangements. Prohibitory Orders under Section 144 of the CrPC will be in force in a radius of 500 metres of the counting centre from 6 am on Thursday till 6 am on Friday.
Addressing a media conference at the JSS Degree College, on Ooty Road, in Nanjangud, where the counting will be held, Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru D Randeep said, for the first time a videographer will be deputed for each table that takes up counting.
“In view of making the process transparent, the proceedings will be webcast on the site of the Election Commission. Before starting the counting process, the auditorium of the JSS Degree College, where the counting will be held, will be sanitised by the Police Anti-Sabotage Check (ASC) team. The entire premises will be made electronic gadgets-free and a counter will be opened for the poll-related officials to deposit their mobile phones,” he said.
The DC said, 17 counting tables have been set up and the counting may go up to 17 rounds as there are 236 polling stations. “Each table will have a counting staff, counting supervisor, micro-observer, videographer and a Group D employee. The overall supervision will be by an election observer and the Election Officer, supported by two micro-observers. Round wise counting details will be displayed on a huge screen in the hall itself. The real-time details will be provided to the media also. Except for the candidates or their election agent and their counting agents, entry of others will be barred into the counting hall,” he said.
He said, eight votes of servicemen have been received. “However, this time there are no postal votes, no official, including police personnel, deputed for the poll duty was a voter in Nanjangud constituency. Thus the counting of the votes from the EVMs would begin immediately after the process starts. After opening the strong room in the presence of the candidates or their agents at 7.45 am, the counting will begin at 8 pm. The strong room will be taken into the custody of the EC from the CISF only at 7 am,” Randeep said.
The slips in the Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) will be preserved along with the EVMs and their control consoles for six months as a candidate can file an objection within this time, the DC added.
Superintendent of Police Ravi D Channannavar said, around 800 police personnel, including one SP, one ASP, four DySPs, 15 CPIs, 21 SIs, 80 ASIs, 600 head constables and constables, 100 home guards, two CISF platoons, etc will be deputed to provide security around the counting centre and also across the taluk, in the wake of the counting of votes.
In Nanjangud constituency, keenly contested by V Srinivas Prasad of the BJP and Kalale N Keshavamurthy of the Congress, 77.56% (1,56,531) voters out of a total electorate of 2,01,818, had cast their votes.