All set for tomorrow's nail-biting vote count

Amaravati: Ending to the waiting of 43 days, the Election Commission of India has all set for counting of votes in EVMs and VVPATs at 36 counting centres in 13 districts of the state on May 23, for both Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies.

The ECI has taken all measures for counting and Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi has given instructions to the Districts Collectors in this regard.

On the other hand the Police Department has made elaborate security arrangements.

Dwivedi directed the Returning Officials to implement the guidelines given by the ECI during the counting.

He further added that, regarding Form 17C, the ECI has already given guidelines and they must be implemented. In addition to that, he announced that the ROs were asked to arrange one counting table for each 500 postal votes.

There are 36 strong rooms and at every strong room there are corresponding counting centres. There are 25 Parliamentary counting centres and 175 Assembly counting centres at 62 buildings on 126 floors at the 36 strong room locations in the state.

Meanwhile, Dwivedi while speaking to media at the Secretariat, said that the Model Code of Conduct will be in force till May 27 and if there is any need, they would conduct repoll at identified locations.

He said that if the results could not be finalised due to certain discrepancies in Form 17C, polled votes in EVMs and VVPATs during the time of counting, then there would be possibility of repolling.

At the same time, he maintained that the Returning Officer's decision would be final and if the candidates have any objections against the RO's decision, they have to go to High Court directly.