JAMMU/SRINAGAR: Counting of votes for the five-phased Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be undertaken tomorrow, with the authorities finalising all arrangements to ensure smooth conclusion of the poll process to the 12th Legislative Assembly.
Counting centres have been set-up at all district headquarters in the State and the process will begin at 8 AM.
“28 counting centres consisting of 94 halls have been set-up to conduct the counting process at all district headquarters,” state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Umang Narula said here.
More than one counting centre has been set-up in districts like Kupwara, Baramulla and Doda, he added.
Narula said the process would begin with the counting of postal ballots.
“Postal-ballot would be counted first till up to 8:30 AM. Thereafter, the counting of votes on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) would start,” he said.
The CEO said in case counting of postal ballots takes more time, even then the counting of votes on EVMs would start at the scheduled time.
As many as 5,000 officials, besides concerned Assistant Returning Officers (ARO), would conduct the counting of votes and the entire process would be video-graphed and the trends would be shared every hour.
Narula said the migrant votes of all constituencies of Kashmir region would be counted at Jammu, Delhi and Udhampur respectively.
“It is for the first time that such arrangements have been made,” he said.
Police has made elaborate security arrangements for the counting in the Valley and a strategy has been put in place to deal with any law and order problem which may arise during or after the counting.
A total of 821 candidates, including 276 independents, contested the elections to the 87-member House.
The voter turnout in the State this year was 65 per cent which was 4 per cent more than the last Assembly elections held in 2008 development which has generated hope as well as anxiety among all major political parties.
In Jharkhand, BJP and JMM had won 18 seats each in the last election. Congress had 13, JVN(P) had 11, AJSU had six, RJD five and JD(U) two.
“All arrangements have been made for the counting at 24 centres across the state,” an EC official said in Ranchi.
The term of Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir assemblies ends on January 3 and January 19 respectively. (PTI)
