Mysuru: A meeting was chaired by Returning Officer/Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G Shankar at the DC office, here on Monday, May 20 regarding the arrangements for the Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha constituency vote counting process.
He has said that the counting process will be held at the Maharani’s College on Valmiki Road, Padavarahalli.
Abhiram directed the officials to follow the Election Commission guidelines thoroughly to avoid confusions during the counting process. He asked them to clarify all doubts from the higher authorities.
He apprised the vote counting staff of their roles.
“Only the counting supervisors will be allowed to carry mobile phones inside. A rehearsal will be carried out on Tuesday, May 21 at 8 AM during which the counting staff clarify any doubts”, Abhiram said.
He said, “For the staff counting slips Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS), five tables have been arranged. They should carefully scan Form No. 13 C, 13 A and 13 B and do the data entry. Never mind, if the process goes slow but do it meticulously.”
“Every table will have computers, internet connection and QR code system. Each assembly constituency will be having its own username and password. The staff must understand this procedure and for doubts, should immediately contact the Assistant Returning Officer (ARO)”, he added.
About the postal ballot counting, Abhiram said, “The postal ballot counting will be done under the vigilance of Returning Officer and ARO. On one table 500 postal ballots will be counted. For this, one polling officer is appointed as a supervisor and also one Central government officer as Micro Observer, who will be keeping an eye on every count.”
“Already in each counting rooms, two CCTV cameras have been installed and every process will be recorded by an appointed videographer. After every round of counting, the counting staff must take the permission of the ARO and then pass on the results to the candidates”, he added.
Regarding the EVM vote count he said, “The EVM count shall be obtained by pressing the button on the machine and then in Form 17 C Part-II, the same counts shall be registered and later, signature of the agent taken and submitted to the Returning Officer.”
“The EVM counting will be carried out after the postal ballot counts only in the presence of the ARO. Once the EVM counting is done, five VVPATs will be chosen from a lot and then the counting process of the randomly selected VVPATs will be carried out”, he added.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Anuradha G, Commissioner of Mysuru City Corporation Shilpa Nag and other officials were present.
