Counting of votes to be held at three centres in Ernakulam

Almost a period aft polling for the Assembly elections, counting of votes volition beryllium held astatine 3 centres successful the territory connected Monday. The votes polled connected April 9 successful 14 constituencies volition beryllium counted astatine the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat), Kalamassery, Union Christian College, Aluva, and Mar Athanasius College, Kothamangalam. District Collector G. Priyanka, besides the District Election Officer, said connected Sunday that each arrangements for the declaration of results are complete.

Strong rooms volition beryllium opened astatine 6:30 a.m. successful the beingness of candidates oregon their authorised representatives, and counting volition statesman astatine 8 a.m. Postal ballots volition beryllium taken up first, followed by votes recorded successful physics voting machines (EVMs). Counting of EVM votes volition statesman lone aft the completion of postal ballot rounds. Initial trends are expected by astir 10 a.m. The last 2 rounds of EVM counting volition beryllium held lone aft the completion of postal ballot counting.

Counting volition beryllium supervised by Returning Officers successful the beingness of Election Commission observers and candidates’ agents. A full of 263 tables person been arranged astatine the counting centres, of which 196 are for EVMs and 67 for postal ballots. Each EVM array volition person a micro observer, a counting supervisor and 2 assistants. For counting postal ballots, each array volition person an Assistant Returning Officer, a micro observer, a counting supervisor and 2 counting assistants.