ECI deputes 47 observers to TS for counting day

Hyderabad: As part of arrangements for the counting on June 4, the Election Commission of India (ECI) deputed 47 observers for monitoring counting across 34 centres being set up across Telangana.

According to officials, counting of votes will be taken up at 34 locations in the State, including seven under Hyderabad Parliamentary Constituency and six under Secunderabad Parliamentary Constituency on June 4. There will be 1,855 counting tables for EVMs and 276 for postal ballots. The data entry will be done for each round from the counting centre, after approval by the Returning Officer or Assistant Returning Officer and the Observers concerned. “Election Commission has directed the Chief Electoral Officers of States to ensure perfect arrangements for the mammoth exercise of counting of votes for House of People on June 4 as scheduled all over the country,” said Chief Electoral Officer, Vikas Raj.

He informed that everything is kept ‘ready’ for the counting. The first round of training for the officials drafted for counting work is going on and will be completed on Tuesday and the second will be done once the observers arrive.

He said three cordons of security cover are being provided to every counting centre. The third and outermost cordon will look after exclusively traffic problems and identity verification in the vicinity of the counting centres. The innermost being covered by CAPF. “Steps have been taken to equip each counting centre with CCTVs and back-up generators to maintain uninterrupted power supply and with fire-fighting units,” he informed.