Decks cleared for vote count on May 23

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, May 20: All arrangements have been completed for counting of votes of both Inner Manipur PC and Outer Manipur PC and three-tier security arrangement has been put in place at all counting centres.
Altogether 27 company of Central Armed Police Force and 3000 State civil and armed police personnel will be put on duty on counting day.
Speaking to The Sangai Express at his Lamphelpat office this afternoon, CEO PK Singh said that all necessary preparations have been completed for the counting of votes on May 23 at the offices of District Election Officers and Returning Officers.
Counting of votes would be started at 8 am and there would be three security rings around all counting centres. The first security ring would be manned by Civil Police, the second ring by State armed police and Central paramilitary forces would be deployed in the third ring, said the CEO.
There would be 34 counting halls including two reserved for postal ballots.
CCTV cameras would be installed on all routes through which EVMs would be brought from strong rooms to counting halls as well as inside counting halls.
There would be one ECI observer for each counting hall and they have already arrived at the State capital, informed the CEO.
Big TV screens would be put up at the offices of the two Returning Officers and the CEO and votes secured by each candidate would be updated in the TV screens after every round of counting. People can access the trend of counting on mobile app Voter Helpline which can be downloaded from Google Play Store.
Big TV screens may be put up at some select public places, said the CEO. Notably, 11 candidates contested in Inner Manipur PC while eight candidates fought in Outer Manipur PC.