The Fact News Service
Chandigarh, May 31
Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Agarwal said that the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha general elections 2024, which were held in the state on May 25 during the sixth phase, will take place on June 4. He said that adequate arrangements for scanners will be made at the polling centers for this purpose.
One Assistant Returning Officer has been appointed for every 10 scanners. Additionally, an Assistant Returning Officer has been appointed for each table at the counting center, shared Sh. Anurag Agarwal while reviewing the preparations for the counting of Lok Sabha elections held through a video conference with the Deputy Commissioners and District Electoral Officers here today.
Agarwal directed the District Electoral Officers to ensure that each counting center has at least two high-quality lease lines of 100 Mbps (Megabits per second). For the 10 Lok Sabha constituencies and the Karnal Assembly (21) by-election, counting centers have been set up at 44 locations across the state. These centers will have 237 screening tables for the scanning of ETPBS and postal ballots. Each table will count 500 postal ballots, he informed.
Anurag Agarwal said that the second randomization and training of the staff involved in the counting duty should be completed 24 hours before the counting date. For the counting, one Assistant Returning Officer, one Counting Supervisor, two Counting Assistants, and one Micro Observer will be on duty, he shared.
1,11,058 Service Voters in the State
Agarwal mentioned that the total number of service voters in the state is 1,11,058. This includes service voters on counting duty and other employees and absentee voters. Therefore, separate nodal officers have been appointed, he said.
EVMs to be taken from Strong Room to Counting Hall with Barricading
Anurag Agarwal said that the complete control of the counting center is with the Assistant Returning Officer. No unauthorized person can enter the counting center without their permission.
He directed that no one can take photos of the counting of EVMs and postal ballots. When the EVMs are taken from the strong room to the counting hall, their videography should be done, and the entire path from the strong room to the hall should be fully barricaded.The candidates should be informed about this, and their election agent or they themselves can observe this process, informed Anurag Agarwal.
