Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Mullai Muhilan M P said all arrangements have been made for the counting of votes of Lok Sabha elections.
EVM strong rooms will be opened between 6 am and 7 am, counting will begin by 8 am. He said as many as 14 counting tables for counting of EVMs are placed inside each counting hall. For each table there is one counting supervisor, one counting assistant and one micro observer.
Twenty tables are arranged for counting postal ballots, he told mediapersons. For the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) , three tables have been arranged.
For EVM counting, each hall will have an assistant returning officer. Around 600 personnel will be deployed for the counting purposes, he said.
He said mobile phones, iPads, laptops, or any such electronic device which can record audio or video are not to be allowed inside the counting centre.
The counting rounds vary from 15 to 19 depending on the assembly constituencies in Dakshina Kannada. After the completion of the counting process, the EVMs and VVPATs will be stored at the EVM warehouse at Padil, the DC explained.
The DC said that prohibitory orders under Section 144 will be in force and no victory processions will be allowed till midnight of June 4.
The district has recorded 77.56 per cent polling in EVMs and 8537 postal ballot votes have been cast. Out of 514 service voters, so far 231 have been received and there is time till 7 am of June 4. The 100 metre radius of the counting centre will be declared as a pedestrian zone, said the DC.
Security
City Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal said that security has been strengthened for counting.
Five KSRP platoons, 13 CAR platoons, 2 DCP, 6 ACP, and others will be deployed for security in addition to paramilitary force personnel. Three layers of security are provided at the counting centre. A total of 850 personnel will be deployed for the bandobast.
MLC polls
The Deputy Commissioner said that the polling for south west graduates and teachers constituencies will be held on June 3 from 8 am to 4 pm.
Elaborate arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of the polling. The district has 19,971 graduate voters and 8189 teachers voters. There are 24 polling booths for south west graduates constituency in 14 locations in the district and 16 polling booths for south west teachers constituency.
After the demustering the ballots will be sent to Mysuru, said the DC.
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