No Agents Allowed Inside Counting Hall Without Covid Test, EC Gears Up For Election Result Day
Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra today reviewed the counting arrangements with senior officers of the Commission and the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of five states and the Union Territory of Puducherry in a virtual meeting.
New Delhi: With all eyes set on the results of the assembly elections in the states of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry, the Election Commission has geared up for foolproof counting while honouring the Covid-19 protocol arrangements.
Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra today reviewed the counting arrangements with senior officers of the Commission and the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of five states and the Union Territory of Puducherry in a virtual meeting.
He directed that all laid down instructions of the Commission must be adhered to besides directing that all counting halls must be fully Covid guidelines compliant.
The Chief Election Commissioner complimented the CEOs for the successful completion of polling in challenging situations of thepandemic.
The Election Commission has designated 822 Returning Officers (ROs) and more than 7,000 Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) for the purposes of counting in these five states and UT. Approximately, 95,000 counting officials, including micro observers, will perform the task of counting.
The counting will take place at 2,364 counting halls as compared to 1,002 halls in the 2016 elections, this amounts to more than a 200% increase in counting halls. This is in view of the Election Commission’s directions on Covid safety measures.
No candidates/agents will be allowed inside the counting hall without undergoing RT-PCR/RAT test or without having two doses of vaccination against Covid-19.
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The Election Commission has deputed approximately 1,100 Counting Observers to watch the process of counting. The Additional Reserve Counting Observers have also been deputed and placed to perform the duties in case of any pandemic-related replacement.
The Election Commission has already banned any victory procession. It was also directed that banning victory procession would include any kind of procession by or congregation of supporters of victorious candidates anywhere in constituency(ies) beyond limits on number prescribed by concerned state/UT.
The poll body has also directed the Chief Secretaries of all these states/UT to ensure that all directions of ECI and extant instructions of NDMA/SDMA concerning gatherings etc. in the wake of counting shall be complied with.
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