All arrangements for counting of votes on March 10 completed: DEO-cum-DC Varinder Kumar Sharma

Ludhiana, March 8, 2022: District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma today assured that all arrangements for free, fair and transparent counting of votes on March 10, 2022, have been completed at all 14 counting centres in district Ludhiana.

While addressing a press conference here today, the DC said that adequate security personnel have been deployed to ensure maintenance of law and order situation inside and outside the counting centers and no stone would be left unturned for ensuring that the entire process gets completed peacefully.

He said that votes of five Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines from each assembly segment would be counted randomly after the counting of votes from Electronic Voting Machines.

He said that the EVM and VVPAT machines are constantly under CCTV surveillance and three tier security has been provided by the state Police, Punjab Armed Police and Para Military Force.

He said that the counting of votes would take place simultaneously at 8 am on March 10 in all the 14 counting centers. 

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner also took stock of media rooms established in the precincts of the counting centers and said that no one would be allowed to carry mobiles inside the counting centers. He clarified that media persons would not be allowed to click photographs or video shots using mobile phones and only video/still cameras are allowed inside the counting centres. He said that entry to the counting centres for media persons would be strictly through the identity cards issued by the Election Commission of India.

He also said that nobody (not even the candidate or RO/ARO etc.) except the counting observer shall be allowed to carry a mobile phone inside the counting hall.

He informed that in the counting room, a total of 14 counting tables (7 on each side) would be set up for smooth counting.

He told that no victory procession has been allowed following the announcement of the results. The entire counting process would be closely monitored by the 14 counting observers. 

For Dakha constituency, the Strong room have been set up at Dr Sukhdev Singh Bhawan PAU, for Ludhiana North at Govt Senior Secondary Smart School PAU, for Ludhiana West at Gymnasium Hall, Punjab Agricultural University, for Jagraon at Examination Hall, Punjab Agricultural University, for Samrala at Satish Chander Dhawan Govt. College, for Ludhiana East at Satish Chander Dhawan Govt. College, for Sahnewal at Khalsa Girls Sen.Sec.School, College Road, Ludhiana, for Raikot at Malwa Central College Of Education For Women, for Ludhiana Central at Arya College, Auditorium Hall, for Ludhiana South at KVM Senior Secondary School, for Gill at S.R.S. Govt.Polytechnic College For Women, Rishi Nagar, for Payal at Govt. College for Women, Ludhiana, for Khanna at Guru Nanak Dev Polytechnic College, Ludhiana. (Applied Science Building) and for Atam Nagar constituency, the strong room has been set up at New Building of GNE Polytechnic College, Gill Road Ludhiana.

He said that for counting, Khanna constituency would have 14 rounds, Samrala 16 rounds, Sahnewal 21 rounds, Ludhiana East 17 rounds, Ludhiana South 13 rounds, Atam Nagar 13 rounds, Ludhiana Central 13 rounds, Ludhiana West 15 rounds, Ludhiana North 15 rounds, Gill 22 rounds, Payal 15 rounds, Dakha 16 rounds, Raikot 14 rounds and Jagraon constituency would have 15 rounds.

He stated that holiday has been declared for teaching, non teaching staff & students in all educational institutions where counting is to take place on March 10. He further said that Dry day has also been declared in the district on March 10.

Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar informed that 100m radius around the counting centre has been declared no vehicle zone and the traffic personnel have been directed to ensure smooth flow of traffic in and around the counting centres. He said that fool-proof security arrangements have been made by the district administration at these centres to ensure the counting for the elections would be held in a smooth and hassle free manner.

Later, the DC also held a meeting with all Returning Officers at Bachat Bhawan Ludhiana and directed them to ensure that counting process is completed in a free, fair and transparent manner.