Pre-preparations for counting of votes of Karjan by election

Maintain social distancing, plan to count on 11 tables Counting staff will work with precautions including mask and face shield

Appropriate arrangements are being made by the Returning Officer and the Provincial Officer, Karjan at the city’s Polytechnic College for counting of votes of Karjan  by-elections. Taking into account the instructions of Election Commission of India, arrangements has been made at the centre as per prescribed covid precautions.

Informing that 11 vote counting tables will be kept in one big room, Deputy District Electoral Officer R.P.  Joshi said, that by taking care of vigilance related to covid 19, the whole process is being planned as per one round of votes of 11 polling stations.

The counting of votes took place when paper ballot papers were used.  Now Voting takes place through an EVM whose sealed counting unit automatically counts the votes as well as the mechanical ones. On the day of counting the seal of the unit will be opened and registers the votes received by the candidate. So it is now more appropriate to refer this process as vote registration rather than vote counting.

This operation will be carried out by placing a Micro Observer, a Supervisor and an Assistant on each table for accurate inspection and monitoring.  A total of 45 people will be employed as table staff for this process. More than 150 people, including security guards, are expected to be called on the day of counting.

Instructions are being given for the counting staff to work with Covid precautions including face shields and masks. A covert surveillance system is also being set up for candidates’ agents.

It may be recalled that the counting of votes is scheduled for Tuesday, November 10 and as there are 311 polling stations in this constituency, it is expected to be 29 rounds in 11 polling stations. In addition there will be a separate system of counting of service votes and others.