Gautam Budh Nagar administration gears up for counting on June 4

With counting day just a fortnight away, the district administration is gearing up for the process which will be held at the Flower Market in Phase 2. Proper arrangements such as barricading, canopies for shade and tables for counting officials will be made shortly

The district administration of Gautam Budh Nagar has made elaborate arrangements for the counting of votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which is scheduled to take place on June 4 countrywide.

District administration officials said district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma (left) conducts an inspection at Phase 2 on Monday to take stock of the security arrangements. (HT Photo)

The three assembly segments of Gautam Budh Nagar -- Noida, Dadri and Jewar -- besides Sikandrabad and Khurja in Bulandshahr, went to polls on April 26 in the second phase of elections.

District administration officials said three-tier security and extra police personnel have been deployed in and around Flower Market in Phase 2 of Noida, which the sealed EVMs are stored till counting day.

District administration officials said inspections were conducted at Phase 2 on Monday to take stock of the security arrangements.

“With counting day just a fortnight away, the district administration is gearing up for the process which will be held at the Flower Market in Phase 2. Proper arrangements such as barricading, canopies for shade and tables for counting officials will be made shortly. All measures are being taken up as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India (ECI),” said district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma

“The counting of votes will commence at 8am on June 4 and the process will take around four to five hours, if carried out without any hinderance. Each assembly segment consists of 14 tables and four officials will man each table for smooth completion of counting,” said Janardan Singh, chief development officer (CDO), Gautam Budh Nagar.

The counting for Sikandrabad and Khurja assembly segments will be carried out in Bulandshahr, said district officials.

On Monday, Verma along with other administrative officials, inspected the counting venue in Noida’s Phase 2 and instructed the officials present there to ensure all arrangements are put in place on time.

“Instructions have been issued to ensure high-grade security arrangements with proper barricading. The strongrooms were also inspected and are being constantly monitored with the help of technical intelligence and armed constabulary,” said Verma.

The Gautam Budh Nagar Lok Sabha constituency recorded a polling percentage of 53.63% these elections. The Noida segment recorded 46.98% voting while Dadri and Jewar recorded 52.89% and 55.22% voting, respectively. Khurja and Sikandrabad segments recorded 59.39% and 60.89% voting, respectively, as per the ECI.

As many as 15 candidates are in the fray for the Gautam Budh Nagar parliamentary seat comprising sitting MP Mahesh Sharma from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rajendra Singh Solanki from Bahujan Samaj Party and Mahendra Nagar from Samajwadi Party, among others.