Chronicle Reporter, Bhopal, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) V L Kanta Rao instructed district returning officers to maintain complete transparency in preparations for counting in Lok Sabha elections 2019.
Rao on Thursday was reviewing preparations for counting, going on in the districts where polling has been done in the first and the second phase with Deputy Election Commissioner Sudip Jain.
Additional CEO Sandip Yadav was present on the occasion. Chief Electoral Officer Rao asked to follow the directions of Election Commission of India in preparations of counting in letter and spirit. He said that separate team of employees for counting VVPAT slips should be formed and separate training should be held for them.
One ideal counting room should be set up at each district headquarters, where not only counting persons but candidates and their agents can also get information about practical aspects of the counting. Kanta Rao instructed to set up one table separately for counting of VVPAT slips in each assembly segment.
He said that according to the directions of election commission, counting of VVPAT slips should be held under the monitoring of Returning Officer and observer.
Extra vigil should be maintained for security at counting place and strong room. Protocol for strong room should be ensured in every situation.
CEO Rao thanked collectors for fair, smooth and free polling in the initial phase and appreciated efforts for increasing voting turnout.
He advised to keep in touch with Chief Election Office during preparations of counting so that any difficulty, in case of cropping up, can be resolved immediately.
Deputy Election Commissioner of Election Commission of India, Sudip Jain instructed to maintain vigil in preparations of counting. He said counting will be held assembly wise and counting in next round will begin only after announcement of results of previous round.
The Deputy Election Commissioner gave information about precautions to be maintained in counting of VVPAT slips. He underlined the need for imparting training to staff to be deputed in counting of VVPAT slips along with holding mock drill for counting.
Discussing on security of strong room, Jain said that district returning officer should inspect strong room daily. He pointed out proper system for recording of CCTV cameras installed for monitoring of strong room.