Follow EC guidelines in postal ballot & vote counting: Collector

Vijayawada: The vote counting and postal ballot counting should be undertaken as per the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India on June 4, said District Collector and District Electoral officer S Dilli Rao while inaugurating the training programme for the counting supervisors, counting assistants, micro observers at Kshetraiah Kalakshetram here on Monday.

The training was conducted by the District Electoral Officer Dilli Rao, Mylavaram returning officer P Sampath Kumar and Vijayawada Central returing officer Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar.

Dilli Rao elaborated on various phases of counting of votes from the electronic voting machines. He said that the vote counting would start at 8 am at the counting centres at Nova and Nimra colleges on June 4.

The staff and the officials should report by 6 am. All arrangements for vote counting have been in place at the counting halls for Assembly constituencies and for Lok Sabha constituency. The role of counting supervisor, counting assistant and micro observer are very important. The teams of these would be arranged by second randomisation.

He said that vote counting would be transparent and accountable and the staff should understand their duties fully. He suggested to the officials to follow the guidelines in letter and spirit.

The officials should take precautions while announcing the results without any delay.

Dilli Rao elaborated on the details of the layout of the counting hall, carrying the case and unsealing of the CU, green paper seal, Form 17c Part-2 CU common address tag, result button, data registration, tabulation and others.

DRO V Srinivasa Rao, Tiruvuru RO K Madhavi, Nandigama RO A Ravindra Rao, Jaggayyapet RO G Venkateswarlu, Vijayawada West RO E Kiranmayi, nodal officer of training programme N V Sivaprasad Yadav, postal ballot nodal officer K Srinivas Rao, Collectorate AO Ch Nagalakshmi, counting supervisors, counting assistants and others were present.