Deal sternly with troublemakers on counting day, CEO instructs officials

CEO Meena directs DEOs to ensure smooth vote counting process, instructs high alert for potential violence, and secure EVMs and forms.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena instructed District Election Officers (DEOs) to sternly deal with those vitiating the process of counting of votes on June 4, to ensure that it is a smooth affair.

Taking stock of the counting arrangements through a video-conference with the DEOs on Sunday, Mr. Meena said police should be on a high alert keeping in view the likelihood of violence as the electoral contest was bitterly fought by the parties and the outcomes could be heartbreaking for some. The counting of votes should, under no circumstances, be affected by the reactions of candidates and their followers who could create a charged atmosphere, he said.

Mr. Meena told the DEOs and other officials concerned to seal the EVMs immediately after the completion of counting and safeguard them properly, and to ensure that Forms 21-C and 21-E related to the declaration of results reached the Election Commission of India (ECI) on June 5 without fail. Besides, the index cards should be submitted at the office of the CEO before June 8, he said.

Further, the CEO said political parties should be allowed to post counting agents at the Returning Officers’ tables only in the absence of candidates. Agents could be kept to watch at every counting table. The counting agents were supposed to carry only Forms-17-C and the required stationery.

Additional CEOs P. Koteswara Rao and M.N. Harendhira Prasad, Joint CEO A. Venkateshwar Rao and others participated.