Tirupati: Leaders on tenterhooks as countdown to June 4 begins

Tirupati : As the counting day approaches, anticipation runs high for the results across various constituencies. Candidates and political parties are anxiously awaiting the outcomes, along with the expected timing of each constituency’s result.

The counting process will commence at 8 am on June 4, starting with the postal ballots. Given the significant number of employees who utilised the postal ballot facility in 2024 polls, this initial phase may take longer than usual.

Despite the extended time for postal ballot counting, the counting of EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) votes will commence at 8.30 am. Each constituency will have a minimum of 14 counting tables, with more tables added depending on the number of polling booths, candidates and votes cast. According to official sources, results from each round of counting are expected to be available around every 30 minutes. By 10.30 to 11.00 am, 4-5 rounds will likely be completed in each constituency, providing early indicators of the final results. However, the official results will only be declared after counting the VVPAT (Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) slips.

As such, in the erstwhile Chittoor district the Nagari constituency results are anticipated first, as it has only seven candidates and a smaller voter base. Nagari will be counted in 17 rounds. Almost around the same time, Thamballapalle and Chittoor counting will also be completed in 17 rounds though the number of voters and candidates slightly differ there. They will be followed by Kuppam in 18 rounds and Punganur, Madanapalle, Puthalapattu and GD Nellore in 19 rounds.

Tirupati and Satyavedu will conclude after 20 rounds, while Srikalahasti, Piler and Palamaner will need 21 rounds. Chandragiri with 395 polling booths, may finish after 20 rounds but will use 20 counting tables instead of the standard 14 used in the other 13 constituencies. The same number of tables will be used for counting Parliamentary votes in all the constituencies.

After completing the EVM vote count, officials will select five polling stations per constituency through a random draw to count their VVPAT slips before announcing the official results. If any EVM encounters a technical issue or battery failure, it will be set aside and the VVPATs from those booths will be counted at the end.

Officials expect the entire counting process to be completed between 4 pm and 5 pm on June 4. However, preliminary trends indicating potential winners and the likely formation of the government may be evident by noon.

Still, the people and candidates are eagerly waiting for the exit polls which will be released after 6 pm on June 1 as they may give a broader indication on the formation of the next government in the State and at the Centre as well.