Assam set for counting; power back up, alternative net arrangements for smooth conducting

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 31, 2024

Along with the rest of the country, Assam is set for the counting of votes for Lok Sabha elections with 52 designated counting centres spread across 50 election districts of the state.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Assam chief electoral officer (CEO) Anurag Goel said: “A total of 152 counting rooms will be operational, equipped with 1,941 counting tables for both postal ballots and EVMs. The counting process is expected to be completed in 10 to 28 rounds. But the constituencies like Jaleshwar and East Goalpara require the maximum of 28 rounds.”

“A total of 5,823 vote-counting officers have been appointed, supported by 64 general observers,” Goel said.

“There will be a counting centre at Maniram Dewan Trade Centre in Guwahati as well, Goel also said.

“To ensure uninterrupted power supply and smooth vote counting, the Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd (APDCL) has been asked to implement backup measures including additional generators, and invertors during the counting process. Similarly, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has been asked for alternative data feeding arrangements,” Goel said.

Goel also said security measures have been beefed up with the installation of 360° CCTV cameras.

“The final results will be declared from multiple locations, including Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Guwahati, Udalguri, Nagaon, Diphu, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Karimganj, and Golaghat. The results are expected to be announced between 4 and 4:30 pm, providing a conclusive end to this significant electoral process,” the CEO said.

”In West Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts, there are some issues due to the damage caused by heavy rainfall. Surface communication has been disrupted and internet connectivity is also not reliable,” he said.

“The counting centres are divided into two types: those handling Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and those for postal ballots. Entry to these centres is strictly regulated, allowing only licensed individuals,” the CEO also said.

“The district administration and police forces have been tasked with overseeing the management of the counting operations,” he added.

The state’s voter turnout was 81.56% in the three-phased voting for 14 Lok Sabha seats on April 19, 26 and May 7.