Bhubaneswar: Counting of votes for Pipili by-poll to be held in three halls at Penthakota Warehouse in Puri by following all the COVID guidelines tomorrow. This was informed by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha, Sushil Kumar Lohani today.
While addressing the media, the CEO of the State said that the counting of votes would begin at 8.30 AM tomorrow. While the EVM counting (from 8.30 AM onwards) to be held in two halls, the postal ballot counting (from 8 AM onwards) is to be held in one hall, he informed.
The Election Commission has appointed a total of three additional Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) and an Election Observer.
There will be 14 counting tables with one each counting assistant, counting supervisor and a micro observer.
A total of 62 personnel have been appointed for the counting process.
The candidates can also deploy one each counting agent at each table to have a close vigil of the counting of votes.
Each and every individual present at the counting centre should have taken their double doses of COVID vaccine. Besides, wearing face masks, sanitisation, and thermal scanning of them has made it mandatory.
The Chief Electoral Officer further said that the results of the counting will be captured in a camera and projected on a big display screen so that people will not crowd near the counting table.
The votes of the VVPAT slips will be compared with that of the EVMs after counting and the results will be published on the official ECI website results.eci.gov.in.
A three-tier security arrangement has been put in place for the counting of votes. While the State Police will guard the outermost cordon, the middle cordon and the innermost cordon will be guarded by the State Armed Police personnel and central paramilitary force respectively.
Ms Kalinga