All arrangements in place to conduct counting of votes, says CEO Dr Raju

A total of 7,500 security personnel to be deployed at 117 centres

Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Dr S Karuna Raju on Wednesday informed that all the necessary arrangements have been made for the counting of votes for the Punjab Assembly Elections.

“The counting of votes for 117 Assembly constituencies of Punjab will take place on March 10 from 8 am onwards. As many as 117 counting centres have been set up at 66 locations. A three-tier security measures have been set up with deployment of 45 companies of Central Armed Police Forces at all centres. As many as 7500 personnel will be deputed in the state,” he said.

Dr Raju said that media centres have been set up at each counting centre where information about the counting rounds would be shared with the journalists. “As many as 3562 identity cards have been issued to journalists for their entry at counting centres and with the permission of returning officers, journalists are allowed to go to some extent at the counting centres. Except from still and video cameramen deployed for government record, no one else will be allowed to permanently station the video or still camera at the counting centre.”

The CEO said that a 100-metre radius around the counting centre area has been declared a “pedestrian zone” and no one will be allowed to drive there. He said that to prevent the entry of any unauthorised persons in the counting centres, three-tier cordoning points have been set up outside the counting centres. “The first cordoning point had been established at the beginning of a 100-meter radius, where senior magistrates along with the required police force remained to control the crowd. The second cordoning point would be at the gate of the counting centre, where the State Armed Police Forces have been deployed, while the third cordoning point has been set up at the entrance of the counting hall, which will be manned by the CAPF.”

He said that as per the instructions of Election Commission of India (ECI), a maximum of 14 counting tables would be set up at each centre.

Dr Raju said that in view of the vote counting, Section 144 has been imposed in all the districts and gathering of people outside the counting centres is prohibited. “As per the instructions of the ECI, only two persons can accompany the winning candidate or his official representative to the centre to collect the certificate, while victory procession is also prohibited.”

He said that information regarding the results can be obtained from the official website of the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab.