Arrangements in place for counting at Andhra University Engineering College

Visakhapatnam: Commissioner of Police Mahesh Chandra Laddah said that a total of 1,215 police personnel would be deployed for security arrangements on the counting day on May 23. Addressing media along with Election Returning Officer and Collector K Bhaskar, he said that Section 144 would be clamped on May 23 and no rallies and gatherings would be allowed.

The Commissioner said that bind-over cases would be imposed on all the rowdy-sheeters and other criminals in view of the counting. Special party police teams deployed to check the lodges and hotels to find any persons arrived in the city to disturb the law and order on the counting day.

Except the counting officials, staff and counting agents from the parties, no others would be allowed into the counting centres and all the wine shops and bars would be kept closed from 5 pm onwards from May 22, he added.

Talking about the counting arrangements, Collector Bhaskar said that the results of Araku Parliamentary Constituency would be delayed as the information has to be received from the ST segments spread in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and East Godavari districts.

The counting would be started from 8 am onwards at 33 rooms in the Andhra University Engineering College. The counting staff would first count the postal ballots. As many as 66,230 postal ballots distributed and 39,775 only received so far, the Collector said.

After completion of votes from the EVMs, the VVPATs from five EVMs would be counted, the Collector explained. For each Assembly constituency there would be 20 to 23 rounds of counting to announce the result, he added.