‘Vizag geared for vote counting

District Election Officer and Collector Dr A. Mallikarjuna lauded the exemplary cooperation from all sections of the society, including leaders and candidates, for their involvement in the electoral process. Stressing the importance of continued collaboration, he urged candidates to maintain similar cooperation during the forthcoming vote-counting process scheduled for June 4th. A meeting was convened this morning, where candidates contesting in the parliamentary constituency discussed security concerns and logistical aspects related to the vote-counting process at the strong rooms.
Collector Mallikarjuna said the enthusiasm of the electorate in Visakhapatnam district surpassed previous elections, with a notable increase in voter turnout. Out of the 20,12,373 eligible voters, 14,09,316 exercised their franchise, constituting a polling rate of 70.03 percent. Additionally, 23,981 voters opted for postal ballots. The district recorded an overall polling rate of 71.2 per cent. In the parliamentary constituency, out of 19,27,303 voters, 13,70,484 individuals cast their votes, with 22,454 opting for postal ballots, resulting in a polling rate of 72.3 per cent.
As part of the preparation for the vote counting day, the District Collector emphasised the need for candidates to submit details of counting agents by May 31st. Only individuals above 18 years who are not associated with government entities or receiving government income are eligible. Compliance with Election Commission regulations is mandatory, barring individuals receiving income from government or affiliated organizations from serving as agents. Officially recognized agents are instructed to arrive at the counting centres ninety minutes before the commencement of counting. The transfer of service postal ballots to designated strong rooms will take place on June 2nd, adhering to Election Commission guidelines. This process aims for transparency and adherence to regulatory standards.
On the day of counting, which starts at 8:00 am, specific counting centres have been designated for different constituencies. For instance, at the Andhra University College of Engineering E.E.E., postal ballot counting will occur in the block seminar hall, while parliamentary votes will be counted in designated rooms within the same complex.
Similar arrangements have been made for other constituencies, with specific rooms allocated for the counting of both assembly and parliamentary votes. Participants at the meeting included District Revenue Officer K. Mohan Kumar, election department officials, candidates, polling agents, and other stakeholders, underscoring a collective effort towards ensuring a smooth and transparent vote-counting process.