ECI Directs State CEOs for Making Fool Proof Security Arrangements for Counting of Votes on 11th March

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued directions to the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of the Five Poll bound States viz., Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Manipur, for making fool proof security arrangements for vote counting. These directions are in addition to those issued earlier in Commission’s letters no. 51/8/VVPAT/2015-EMS dated 05.05.2015, 470/INST/2014-EPS, dated 30.04.2014, wherein the ECI issued detailed instructions regarding storage and safety arrangements of EVMs, appointment of counting staff/ counting agents and counting procedures.

The Commission had several rounds of Video conferences with the CEOs and ROs of all 5 States to take first hand inputs on the preparedness of the counting arrangements. Giving details of security mechanism set up , the Senior Election Commission officer said that the ECI is not leaving any stone unturned to fair and transparent counting arrangements at all the counting centres (157)  viz., Punjab (53), Goa (2), Uttar Pradesh (75), Uttarakhand (15) and Manipur (12). ECI has taken feedback from all political parties and candidates, based on which these additional instructions have been issued with a view to further bolster security arrangements to tackle both general as well as situation specific exigencies and ensure a smooth counting process in a transparent manner.

ECI has instructed all the CEOs and DEOs to make the above arrangements and undertake counting process cautiously, step by step and without undue haste so as to make them fool proof, the EC officer added.