Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Electoral Officer Teeka Ram Meena on Saturday said the declaration of final results of each Lok Sabha constituency will be only after 6 pm in view of the additional time required for counting of VVPAT slips.
At a press meet here, Mr Meena said on an average four hours will be required for counting EVMs. There will be 14 rounds of counting along with postal ballots. The postal ballots will be counted first in the hall where RO is present followed by counting of EVMs at 8.30 am. In rest of the halls the counting will begin at 8 am.
The VVPATs will be selected by lots. Returning officer will draw the lots randomly. The five selected VVPATS will not be counted simultaneously. A total of 35 VVPATs will be counted in each parliamentary constituency.
There is a possibility of difference in vote tally between control unit and VVPAT slip count. In such a situation, the VVPAT figure will be taken as final. However, before deciding the final figure the slips will be counted two three times.
Those who are experts in counting the currency notes in banks will be preferably requisitioned for the counting VVPAT slips.
On an average five to six hours will be needed to count VVPAT slips which will be about 60,000 to 70,000 per constituency. Hence official declaration will take place after nine to ten hours.
The last two rounds of EVM will be stopped in the main hall to complete the process of counting of postal ballot and service votes. The round wise results will be on NIC software and Suvidha.
Mr Meena said counting would take place in 29 locations comprising 140 counting centres across the state on May 23. Each hall will have 14 counting tables. If required more tables will be arranged with the permission of EC. Only official videographer will be allowed inside the counting hall.
Counting will begin at 8 am. First the postal ballots would be counted along with the scanning of service votes. All postal ballots received by 8 am on May 23 will be counted. Four counting tables will be used for postal ballots. In case if the victory margin is less than the total postal ballots received then these would be recounted and the entire process will be video graphed.
The first round of counting will be completed only after the counting of EVMS , declaration of results at the end of the round, feeding the data in Suvidah portal, signed by observer and sent to EC. The second round counting will begin only after completing the above process.
Security : Three tier security will be provided at the counting stations . Local police will be deployed within 100 meters of the building, Kerala armed police inside the campus and Central Paramilitary forces at the gate. There are 16 companies of central forces currently deployed outside strong rooms.DGP Loknath Behara said the police has made elaborate security arrangements for counting on May 23. There have been instances of violence before and after counting in the past hence all measures are being taken to prevent such incidents.
