Newskarnataka – Mangalore

Mangalore: The counting of votes polled for the Lok Sabha elections in Dakshina Kannada constituency will begin at 8 am on May 16. The staff  concerned should discharge their duties  in a transparent, free and fair manner to make the process a success, said AB Ibrahim, Deputy Commissioner and District Election officer.

He was presiding over a function held in connection with a training camp organised at his office on Saturday May 10 for the counting supervisors and assistants. He said  the strong room where the EVMs are placed will be opened  in the presence of the representatives of the candidates on May 16 at 7.30 am. The counting will begin at 8 am sharp and the staff concerned should  mandatorily report to duty at 7.30 am, he informed.

 There will be two counting rooms for every assembly constituency segment. One room will have seven counting tables and each table will have a counting supervisor and an assistant. Every room will also have an assistant election officer and an additional assistant election officer. Every table can have  one  agent on behalf of the candidates, Additional DC Sadashiva Prabhu informed the meeting.

 The counting of the 1663 postal /service ballots will be held in a separate room  in the presence of three additional assistant election officers and a gazetted superintendent.

 The poll counting staff were  trained on the occasion by NK Nagendra District Statistics Department officer and  Krishnamurthi, Puttur AC who has undergone training on counting of votes at the camp organised by Central Election Commission in Delhi.

Special Land Acquisition Officer ML Vaishali, Assistant Commissioner Dr R Prashanth and ZP Deputy Secretary NR Umesh were present among others.