Himachal bypolls: Tight security in place for counting of votes on Tuesday

Chief electoral officer for Himachal, C Paulrasu said the counting of votes will begin at 8am on Tuesday. Polling for the Mandi parliamentary constituency and assembly constituencies of Fatehpur, Arki and Jubbal-Kotkhai were held on October 30

Elaborate security arrangements have been put in place for the counting of votes at three assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat in Himachal where bypolls were held on October 30.

The counting centre set up in Mandi parliamentary constituency on Monday. In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, there will be a ban on taking out victory processions by winning candidates or their supporters after the declaration of the results of the Himachal bypolls on November 2, election officials said. (Birbal Sharma/HT)

Chief electoral officer for Himachal, C Paulrasu said the counting of votes will begin at 8am on Tuesday. A counting assistant and counting inspector (supervisor) will be posted at each table, other than the returning officer’s table.

He said that 11 counting observers have been deployed in Mandi parliamentary constituency, while in Fatehpur, Arki and Jubbal-Kotkhai assembly constituencies, there will be one general counting observer each. Apart from this, a micro observer has also been deployed at each counting table.

Paulrasu said two centers have been set up to complete the counting of postal ballot papers and electronically transmitted postal ballot system (ETPBS).

In Fatehpur, Arki and Jubbal-Kotkhai assembly constituencies, one centre each has been set up for counting of postal ballot and ETPBS votes. This will let officials to start counting of postal ballots and votes cast through EVM simultaneously.

The CEO also said that in compliance with the guidelines issued in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, there will be a ban on taking out victory processions by winning candidates or their supporters after the declaration of the results.