Counting in sensitive panchayats to be recorded

VIJAYAWADA: State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar has directed Collectors and District Election Authorities and SPs to take measures for recording the counting process in sensitive, hypersensitive and troublesome gram panchayats through Webcasting or CCTV cameras or videography in order to ensure that counting process is conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner and, to preserve such recordings/footages as election records.

The SEC also instructed the district administrations to ensure uninterrupted power supply to ensure adequate lighting facility in the counting centres. “The counting centres need to be sterilised. No outsiders should be permitted in the counting centres, information leaks about the trends should be stopped and conduct recounts only in close contests, not in case of double digit margins. The returning officers can permit recounting only one time as per law,’’ the SEC said in a release issued on Friday.The SEC also wanted the officials to position  supervisory officers in sensitive, hyper sensitive and large panchayats.