One counting supervisor and assistant to be deployed on every counting table apart from an ARO

Bhopal: Apart from an ARO, one counting supervisor and 2 counting assistants will also be deployed on every table for counting of postal ballots for 29 Lok Sabha constituencies in Madhya Pradesh on May 16. Office of the Chief Electoral Officer has issued directives to returning officers and district election officers regarding counting of votes for Lok Sabha elections and Vidisha Vidhan Sabha by-election.

As per directives, returning officers and district election officers will inform the supervisor about total postal ballots received through facilitation centres and by post. The commission has said that not more than 500 postal ballots should be counted on one table. Tables should be placed in counting hall as per space. Their number should not be more than 4. According to the directives, the counting supervisor deployed on every table for counting of postal ballots with ARO must be a gazetted officer. The staff selected for counting will be imparted training for this.

Directives have been given to also train counting supervisors, counting assistants and micro observers. A micro observer must be deployed at every counting table for postal ballots, who will be an officer of Central government or Central public sector undertaking. Returning officer will have to sign rejected postal ballots sent with declaration under form 13-A. Directives have also been given not to start EVM votes’ counting before concluding of counting of postal ballots. Every candidate will be allowed to appoint one candidate on every counting table during counting of postal ballots.

Election Commission has issued directives that if additional tables have to be placed for expediting counting due to large number of postal ballots then its prior information will have to be given to the candidates so that they can appoint additional counting agents. The commission has said that supervisor will closely watch counting of postal ballots as per declaration made in form 13-A. Districts have also been directed to get printed adequate quantity of Part-II of Form 17-C.