VIJAYAWADA, MAY 23 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena directed the officials concerned to make the needed arrangements across the state for the counting of votes.

The CEO held a video conference with the election officials on Thursday and reviewed the arrangements being made for the counting of votes on June 4. He directed the officials to make all advance arrangements in a planned manner so that accurate results could be declared quickly following the guidelines of the Election Commission of India.
The CEO claimed that except for sporadic incidents, the polling on May 13 was peaceful. In the same spirit, the officials should make elaborate arrangements for the counting of votes in all districts. Massive security arrangements should be made at the counting centers, he told them.

The candidates and election agents should be informed in writing about the date of counting of votes and how many tables would be arranged for the counting of votes to avoid disputes. The media centre should also be set up at each counting center, he directed the officials.

The CEO ordered the officials to set up barricades as well as display boards at the counting centres to display the latest trend. Votes counting tables should be set up separately for Parliament and Assembly constituencies in the counting center depending on the number of polling stations, he told them.

“Well-trained staff should be appointed for counting of votes and necessary training programs should be organized in advance to them. In the same way, necessary computers and printers with high-speed internet facilities should be set up in the counting centers,” the CEO instructed the officials concerned.

The three-tier security arrangement has been made in all EVM strong rooms in the centre and the strong rooms are being monitored round the clock through surveillance cameras, CEO Mukesh Kumar Meen added.(UNI)