The stage is set for Thursday’s counting of votes of the intensely-contested Assembly elections in Meghalaya.
59 assembly segments went to polls held on February 27 and the results will decide the fate of 369 candidates.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), FR Kharkongor said all necessary arrangements have been made in respect of counting in 13 centres across the state – 12 in the district headquarters and one in the Sohra civil subdivision.
“Twenty-two CAPF companies have been retained for the purpose of ensuring 24×7 safeguard protocols in respect of the strongrooms containing the polled EVMs of 3,419 polling stations in the 59 poll-going Assembly constituencies,” the CEO said.
The CAPF companies will be stationed in the state till March 4 for any post-poll contingencies/exigencies, he said.
On Thursday, there will be 3-tier security arrangements with the CAPF guarding the innermost layer and state armed police keeping vigil of the 2nd and 3rd tiers. The counting centres have been placed under CCTV and web cast surveillance.
There will be a total of 383 rounds of counting, with a maximum of 9 rounds for the biggest Mawlai constituency in the East Khasi Hills district and 4 rounds for smaller constituencies like Dalu in the West Garo Hills district.
The counting will commence at 8 am. The postal ballots will be counted for the first 30 minutes followed by the counting of the votes cast through EVMs.
Accompanied by the DEO and the SP, Kharkongor inspected the counting arrangements at the East Khasi Hills district counting centre at Polo ground. It has 14 counting halls, one for each of the 14 constituencies.
The West Garo Hills district counting centre caters to 11 Assembly constituencies and is the second largest counting centre after the East Khasi Hills counting centre.
The Election Commission of India has deployed 27 counting observers who will be assisted by over 500 micro observers. Each table will be equipped with a counting observer, assisted by 4 counting assistants.
The DEOs and the ROs have been directed to strictly follow the ECI protocols on counting.