Anantapur: Collector reviews arrangements for foolproof counting of votes

Anantapur: District Collector and Returning Officer Dr Vinod Kumar has called upon the electoral staff to speed up and complete the arrangements at the counting centres at the earliest. Addressing a review meeting here on Monday, he said counting of votes should be carried in the same way as general elections, which were conducted peacefully in the district.

The Collector told the officials to work in coordination with polling officers at counting centres. Stating that second phase of randomisation will be taken up on June 2, he told the staff is undergoing training. All complaints from candidates should be attended to immediately.

Barricading at counting tables should be completed in advance. Candidates and their agents should be informed in advance on counting date and time. High speed internet facilities should be arranged along with necessary computers and other paraphernalia of furniture and stationery etc. Tea, coffee and snacks for counting staff should be arranged in a separate adjoining room to counting centres. The rooms should have toilet facilities.

At all the counting centres, breakfast will be provided for the staff from 6 am to 7.30 am. After completing ten rounds of counting, staff should be provided snacks. For counting agents separate snacks counters should be arranged. ID cards should be to agents in advance on June 2 at Collector office premises.

Neither agents nor staff will be allowed to carry mobiles into the counting centres. A room for observer should be arranged at every block in the counting centres along with a TV, fax and telephone landline and computer. Public address system should be arranged in the counting rooms and there should be a deputy Tahsildar and a computer in the Returning officer room. After counting completed, EVM should be sealed by a specially appointed team.