One camera for each counting table

    10-May-2019
By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, May 9: One CCTV camera would be installed for each and every counting table on which votes for Outer Manipur PC and Inner Manipur PC would be counted on May 23.
The Election Commission held a video conference with the CEO Manipur today on the counting of votes.
For the first time, a copy of what is recorded by the CCTV cameras would be made available to each and every candidate, informed a source.
Votes polled in Outer Manipur PC and Inner Manipur PC would be counted in 34 counting halls and there would be five to 12 counting halls for each Assembly segment. DEOs have been making necessary arrangements in this regard, said the source.
Central paramilitary forces have been guarding strong rooms where EVMs and VVPAT machines are being kept and they are being monitored by DEOs.
Postal ballots would be counted in separate halls at the offices of Inner Manipur PC RO and Outer Manipur PC RO.
So far, the Outer Manipur PC RO has received 6663  postal ballots while the Inner Manipur PC RO has received 4906 postal ballots.  The ECI would organise a training session at Guwahati for the North East States on May 13 on the counting of votes. The State CEO, ROs, DEOs and other officials would take part in the training session, said the source. The office of the CEO would organise a similar State level training programme from May 14 to 21 for officials who would take part in counting of votes.  There would be similar training programmes at the district level too.
Votes would be counted based on VVPATs by randomly selecting groups of five polling stations for each Assembly segment. As such, the counting process may be slower this time, added the source.