Ongole: Ensure transparency in counting says Nilam Sawhney

Guntur/Ongole: State Election Commissioner Nilam Sawhney inspected the arrangements for counting in Guntur and Prakasam districts on Saturday. She directed the officials to maintain transparency during the counting of votes which will be held on Sunday.

She conducted a review meeting with officials at the Guntur Collectorate on Saturday. Speaking on the occasion, she instructed the officials to take all the steps to carry out the counting process peacefully and directed the officials to create awareness among the counting staff on valid votes and invalid votes.

Nilam Sawhney asked the officials to be on the alert till the completion of counting of votes and to set up barricades at the counting centres in problematic villages. Guntur District Collector Vivek Yadav said that 620 tables were set up for counting of votes at 14 counting centres in the district and recalled that the elections were conducted to elect 45 ZPTCs and 571 MPTCs.

He said that one deputy collector cadre officer and one district officer were posted at each counting centre. He explained to the SEC on the arrangements made for the counting of votes through a power point presentation.

He said training was imparted to the counting supervisors and staff on Friday and Saturday through a conference and added that steps have been taken to videograph the counting of votes.

In Ongole, the State Election Commissioner inspected the arrangements made for the MPTC and ZPTC votes counting at QIS Engineering College and ordered the officials to be attentive and follow the instructions of the Election Commission.

Nilam Sawhney held a meeting with the officials at the TTDC meeting hall in Ongole. She ordered them to see the counting starts at 8 am on Sunday and asked the counting supervisors and assistant supervisors to be alert. She said that the officials should inspect thoroughly during the movement and opening of the ballot boxes.

She ordered the nodal officers to supervise the process continuously and see the counting was done transparently.

Collector Pravin Kumar explained to the SEC that while there had been unanimous elections to some posts, the polls were held for 41 ZPTC and 367 MPTC seats in the district and 8.99 lakh people utiliaed their franchise. He said that they will transfer 2223 ballot boxes of 52 mandals to the 12 counting centres.