All districts should exercise caution in counting and declaring of results
Bhopal: Election Commission held discussions through video-conferencing with election-related officers in Madhya Pradesh regarding counting of Lok Sabha elections on May 16. The commission directed all returning officers in the state, district election officers and assistant election officers to exercise caution in counting and declaring of results of every round of
counting. From commission’s side, Deputy Election Commissioner Shri Sudhir Tripathi, Director General Shri Ashish Shrivastava and Shri Sumit Mukherjee took part in the video-conferencing. Chief Electoral Officer Shri Jaideep Govind also participated from New Delhi. Directives were given to Madhya Pradesh Additional Chief Electoral Officer Shri V.L. Kanta Rao and all 51 district collectors.
Shri Ashish Shrivastava said that all directives of the commission regarding counting should be followed and complied strictly. Counting should be impartial and transparent. Results of a constituency should not be declared until information about counting is received from all concerning Vidhan Sabha constituencies. He informed that a micro observer will also be deployed at every counting table. Round-wise information from Vidhan Sabha constituencies should be requisitioned through fax, e-mail or through an authorised person in case it is nearby. After receiving information, it must be verified through telephone.
Returning officers will be responsible for verification of counting-related figures. Counting and tabulation of postal ballots should be done in the same hall at RO headquarters.
Shri Shrivastava said that counting process must not be halted midway through in any case. If an EVM develops snag then commission must be informed immediately and it should be got repaired at once. He clarified that Genesis software has been provided by the commission for known trends and results of counting. Control rooms will collect round-wise information of vote counting. As soon as a round is completed, data regarding it should be fed in Genesis software. Caution should also be exercised in counting and tabulation of postal ballots. He directed for closely monitoring everything taken to counting venues.
Shri Sudhir Tripathi said that one counting supervisor each will reach all district headquarters in the morning of May 14. He directed districts to send certificates pertaining to strong rooms by May 15. The commission directed to send all counting-related information to the CEO office by the morning of May 17, the day after counting. Shri Jaideep Govind informed that strong rooms in all districts of the state are being monitored through webcasting. Permission has also been granted to appoint one counting agent each at every counting table. Joint Chief Electoral Officer Shri S.S. Bansal and other officers also took part in video-conferencing.
