Andheri (East) bypoll | All set for counting of votes today

Uddhav-backed Rutuja Ramesh Latke is expected to register a comfortable win in the bypoll

The counting of votes polled during the November 3 byelection to Mumbai’s Andheri (East) Assembly constituency will be taken up on Sunday with all arrangements, including three-tier security cover around the strong room, in place.

The exercise will commence with the counting of postal ballots of service voters and senior citizens at 8 a.m, followed by EVM votes, Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer Shrikanth Deshpande told The Hindu.

“We have made all the arrangements for the exercise and the counting centre has been set up at BMC School, Gundavali in Andheri (East). The inner core area of the strong room is being manned by Central forces while the outer two layers are fortified with the State police,” he said.

Rutuja Ramesh Latke, the nominee of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, is expected to register a comfortable win in the bypoll, since no major political party was in the fray.

The November 3 byelection recorded the lowest turnout of 31.74%. Of 2,71,502 registered voters only around 86,000 exercised their franchise. The byelection was necessitated due to the sudden death of Ms. Latke’s husband and Shiv Sena legislator Ramesh Latke following a cardiac arrest in May.

Elaborating on the arrangements at the counting centre, Mr. Deshpande said that the strong room containing EVMs will be opened in the presence of the observer, contesting candidates or their election agents at 7:30 a.m.

He said that seven tables are arranged, and after completion of EVM counting, mandatory counting of five randomly selected VVPATs slips will be taken at VVPAT Counting Booth. The entire exercise will be videographed.