With less rounds, South Tura result to be out first on Monday

SHILLONG: South Tura result will be known before Ranikor when the votes will be counted on Monday from 8 am.
Postal ballots will be counted first followed by the EVMs.
While there will be only three rounds of counting for South Tura comprising 35 polling stations, the number of rounds for Ranikor consisting of 65 polling stations will be seven.
Elaborate arrangements have been made for the counting of votes in South Tura and Ranikor constituencies.
Chief Electoral Officer Frederick Kharkongor said on Friday while the counting of votes will be held at Extension Training Centre in Tura, for Ranikor, votes will be counted at DC’s office in Mawkyrwat, the headquarters of South West Khasi Hills.
One company of Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF) each is guarding the strong rooms, where the EVMs are kept, in both Tura and Ranikor round the clock. Besides, there will be micro observers.
There will be three-tier security cover around the strong rooms as the inner most area will be covered by CAPF, middle manned by state armed police and the outer area by unarmed police.
The VVPAT slips of one polling booth each will be counted manually and the counting of votes will be under webcasting.
Kharkongor said instructions have been issued to the police and the district administration to ensure peace, normalcy and better traffic management after the counting of votes.
While South Tura registered a voter turnout of 72.89 percent, Ranikor had 88.9 percent and there was not much change in the percentages compared to the last February 27 Assembly polls.
“We are happy with the percentage considering the election fatigue and rain in Ranikor,” Kharkongor said.