Victory procession by winning candidates banned in wake of Covid-19
Shimla: Chief Electoral Officer, Himachal Pradesh, C. Palrasu informed on Monday that all the preparations have been completed for the counting of votes.
He stated that the counting of votes would be started from 8:00 am on Tuesday, November 2, 2021.
Counting of votes for Mandi parliamentary constituency and by-elections for Fatehpur, Arki and Jubbal-Kotkhai assembly constituencies will be conducted amidst tight security at the respective centres.
A counting assistant and a counting supervisor will be posted at each table other than the returning officer’s table in the counting centre, he added.
Palrasu said that 11 counting observers have been deployed for the counting of votes in Mandi parliamentary constituency, while for Fatehpur, Arki and Jubbal-Kotkhai assembly constituencies, only three general observers have been posted as counting observers.
Apart from this, one micro-observer has also been deployed at each counting table, he added.
The Chief Electoral Officer said that two separate centers have been set up to complete the counting of postal ballot papers and ETPBS votes in Mandi parliamentary constituency, while for counting of postal ballots and ETPBS votes in Fatehpur, Arki and Jubbal-Kotkhai assembly constituencies.
A separate center has been set up for each. In such a situation, the counting of votes cast through EVMs and postal ballots can start at the same time.
He also informed that in compliance with the guidelines issued in view of the Covid-19, there will be a ban on taking out victory processions by the winning candidates or their supporters after the declaration of the results of the counting of votes.
Apart from this, not more than two people will be allowed to accompany the winning candidate or his authorized representative while taking the election certificate from the Returning Officer, he added.
