RAIPUR,CG: The counting of votes for the General Elections of 11 Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh will commence on Tuesday, June 4, starting at 8 am, said Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Chhattisgarh Reena Babasaheb Kangale.

Briefing media on detailed the arrangements for the vote counting process, she said the counting will take place at 33 district headquarters across the state, with a total of 94 counting halls designated for the task. Except for Ramanujganj, Samri, Kondagaon, and Keshkal, which have two counting halls each, all other 86 assembly constituencies will have one counting hall.

A total of 1,720 counting rounds will be conducted across the 94 halls, involving 276 Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) and 1,302 counting tables. Votes from 24,229 polling stations will be counted in a minimum of 12 rounds to a maximum of 24 rounds for each of the 11 Lok Sabha seats.

She said the ROs have provided all candidates with the complete addresses of the counting venues, the schedule, and prior information about the counting process. As per the Election Commission of India’s instructions, June 4 has been declared a dry day across the state.

For the counting, 11 returning officers, 476 assistant returning officers, 4,362 enumerators, and 1,671 micro-observers have been appointed. Additionally, 42 counting observers have been assigned to oversee the process in the 90 assembly constituencies under the 11 Lok Sabha constituencies. Each counting table will be manned by a counting observer, a counting assistant, and a micro-observer from a Central Government undertaking, she said.

The counting will take place on 21 tables in six assembly constituencies—Pandariya, Kawardha, Sarangarh, Bilaigarh, Bharatpur-Sonhat, and Kasdol—and on 14 tables in the remaining 84 assembly constituencies.

Postal ballots will be counted first by the ROs, followed by EVM counting, which will start 30 minutes later. The counting of EVMs in districts other than the headquarters of the Returning Officer will begin simultaneously at 8.00 am. Separate halls have been set up for postal ballot counting, with two halls each in Kanker and Mahasamund, and one hall in each of the remaining 9 Lok Sabha constituencies.

Each counting hall will have separate entrances for candidates, counting agents, returning officers, assistant returning officers, and other employees. Three-tier security arrangements will be enforced, with district police, state armed forces, and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel ensuring security at each level.

A media centre will be established at each counting centre, allowing limited media access for inspections. However, photography or videography with static cameras in the counting halls is prohibited. Media can cover the vote counting with handheld cameras while maintaining vote secrecy.

Ministers, Mayors, and other distinguished persons are not allowed to serve as counting agents, per the latest instructions. The seating arrangement for counting agents will prioritize national parties, state parties, recognized state parties from other states with reserved symbols, and independent candidates. Counting agents must remain at their designated tables, she pointed out.

The entire counting process will be videographed, with no electronic devices or prohibited items allowed inside the counting halls. Calculators and pens will be provided to counting agents for tabulation, and candidates and their agents may bring only paper and pencils.

The strong rooms will be opened in the presence of observers, candidates, or their representatives, with videography documenting the proceedings. The secrecy of voting will be emphasized, and any violations will result in removal from the counting hall. Security personnel are only allowed entry with the Returning Officer's permission.

The results will be announced phase-wise, and mandatory verification of VVPAT slips from five randomly selected polling stations per assembly constituency will be conducted after the final EVM count.

The final results will be declared by the Returning Officer, and election certificates will be issued to the elected candidates. Round-wise results will be available from 8.00 am on the Commission’s website (https://results.eci.gov.in) and the Voter Helpline App. Additionally, results will be displayed on LED screens in various towns across the state.

CEO Kangale also mentioned that arrangements for coolers, ACs, cold drinking water, and other amenities have been made at all counting centres to protect against the heat wave.