Karwar: Counting of votes of Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha seat will be held at Dr A V Baliga College in Kumta on April 23 and all preparations for this have been done.
The EVMs kept securely in the strong room here a month ago will ultimately reveal the future of the candidates.
Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha constituency comprises six Assembly segment of Uttara Kannada district and two segments of Belagavi district. As many as 14 tables have been arranged for the counting of votes polled in each Assembly segment.
The rounds of counting are decided on the number obtained after dividing the number of polling stations by 14. For instance, there are 217 polling stations in Haliyal Assembly segment and when this is divided by 14, the number obtained is 15.5, So, 15 rounds of counting will be done there. The same arithmetic rule is applied in other Assembly segments too. There were a total of 1,922 polling stations in Uttara Kannada constituency.
This apart, there are 3,218 postal and service votes in Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha limits. Apart from ‘D’ grade employees, 392 staff members have been deputed on counting duty, informed Election officials.
Mobile phones banned
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner K Harishkumar has directed agents of political parties and candidates to ensure that mobile phones are not carried to the counting centre.
Holding a meeting with various political parties on Monday, he said that the Chief Election Commission had issued guidelines including a prohibition on carrying mobile phones to the counting centre to maintain transparency and to avoid suspicions and confusions. So, candidates and their agents must not get mobile phones.
He said that prohibitory orders have been imposed in 200 metre radius area around Dr A V Baliga College in Kumta where the counting will be held. Three layers of security are in place to enter the centre and police from other States have been deputed to maintain security. The security personnel on duty may not even recognise the candidate and so each one entering the counting centre must compulsarily carry their identity card issued by the Election Commission with them.
He asked the candidates and agents to be present at the counting centre before 8:00 am when the counting would begin. “Counting of votes may delay as more than 3,000 postal ballots have been received. This apart, VVPAT votes also need to be tallied. The official announcement of the result would be done after all these procedures,” Harishkumar said.