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State assembly polls: Stage set for counting of votes on Thursday

May 18, 2016 22:28 IST

The counting of votes for the assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry would be held on Thursday morning with trends expected early.

By noon, a final picture is likely to emerge on who would be the major players in these states.

The counting would commence at 8 am and is likely to be completed within 6 to 7 hours.

According to Election Commission guidelines, the ballot unit is switched on in the presence of senior poll officials and counting agents of candidates and the result command keyed in to get results per machine.

After the results are declared, names of the winning candidates are published in the gazette.

The gazette notification initiates the process to form the next legislative assemblies in the states.

In Assam, preparations are on in full swing for the counting of votes of assembly election on Thursday. A three tier security layer has been put in place.

Additional DGP Bodoland Territorial Area district, LR Bishnoi said 60 patrol parties have been constituted to man the area and all counting centres would be provided adequate security.

He said 675 police personnel have been deployed in the four districts of Kokrajhar, Baksa, Udalguri, and Chirang.

Bishnoi said extra security would be provided if there is threat to any candidate.

In Tamil Nadu, counting would be held tomorrow of votes polled in the Assembly elections held on Monday.

All arrangements have been made for the counting to be held at 68 counting centres in the state.

The re-polling in one of the polling booth in Tenkasi was held on Wednesday. 

The counting will decide the fate of 232 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

In 219 constituencies each round will have 14 counting tables. Sholinganallur constituency will have the highest counting tables of 24. 

A three tier security has been given to 68 counting centres in the state.

In the state 13,592 persons including 9621 state government officials and 3971 micro-observers will be overseeing the counting process.

In West Bengal, the Election Commission has decided to make strict security arrangements for counting of votes on Thursday.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 will be imposed outside each of the 90 counting centres set-up in Kolkata and across the state.

The chief executive officer has held a coordination meeting with all the District Magistrates. Central security forces and state Police personnel are being deployed.

The commission has appointed 4 lakh personnel who will man 4, 932 tables in 394 rooms that have been set up at the counting centres under CCTV watch.

One micro-observer will be deployed at each table. Trends will be announced at end of the each round.

One observer each will be deputed by the commission for each of the total 294 assembly constituencies.

Only the observer will have the right to have a mobile phone inside the centre.

Source: ANI