With 91 centres & three-tier security, Haryana all set to count votes on June 4

The BJP is contesting all 10 Lok Sabha seats, while Congress has fielded nine candidates.

The counting of votes for the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana and the Karnal assembly by-election will begin on Tuesday at 8 am across 91 counting centres set up in the state. Over 10,000 police personnel have been deployed to ensure smooth operations at the counting centres, director general of police Shatrujeet Kapur said.

The voter turnout in Haryana on May 25 was recorded at 64.80%. (HT File)

A three-tier security system will be in place around the counting centres, he added.

The counting of postal ballots at the returning officer’s counting centre will begin before the EVM counting while the slips from five randomly selected VVPATs will be matched in the presence of counting agents, chief electoral officer (CEO) Anurag Agarwal said.

Media centres have been set up at each counting centre for the convenience of media persons, apart from a separate media centre at the CEO’s office in Chandigarh.

The voter turnout in Haryana on May 25 was recorded at 64.80%.

There were 223 total candidates, including 207 male and 16 female, in the fray with the highest 31 in Kurukshetra, followed by Hisar (28), Rohtak (26), Faridabad (24), Gurgaon (23), Sonepat (22), Sirsa and Karnal (19 each), Bhiwani-Mahendergarh (17), and Ambala (14).

As many as nine candidates were contesting Karnal assembly seat bypoll.

The BJP is contesting all 10 Lok Sabha seats, while Congress has fielded nine candidates and the AAP in alliance with Congress is contesting the Kurukshetra seat. The JJP has fielded 10 candidates, BSP nine and INLD is contesting in seven Lok Sabha seats.

Among the heavyweights whose fate will be decided on Tuesday are former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Union ministers Rao Inderjit Singh and Krishan Pal Gurjar, Congress’ Deepender Singh Hooda and former Union minister Kumari Selja.

All eyes are also on the outcome of the Karnal assembly bypoll where Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini is a BJP nominee. The bypoll was necessitated by the change of guard in Haryana in March when Saini succeeded Manohar Lal Khattar as CM. Khattar resigned from the assembly, paving the way for holding a bypoll in the Karnal assembly seat.

Meanwhile, the CEO said all necessary preparations have been completed to ensure the counting process is carried out efficiently and peacefully.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed counting observers at all counting centres to monitor the counting process. He reiterated the importance of all those involved in the counting process adhering to the guidelines to ensure a fair and transparent counting process.

He said for any information or complaints related to the counting, one can contact the toll-free number 0172-1950, the control room telephone 0172-2701362, or email at hry_elect@yahoo.com.