Patiala, June 3 - Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer of Patiala Shaukat Ahmed Pare has said That all arrangements have been completed for the counting of votes cast on June 1 for the Lok Sabha elections to be conducted on June 4 in a transparent and smooth manner. The Returning Officer visited the strong room and counting center at Thapar University here today and took stock of the final touches being given to the preparations. On this occasion, he instructed the enumerators to ensure strict compliance with the instructions of the Election Commission of India.
Shaukat Ahmed Pare said that the counting of votes by the returning officers of the respective constituencies will be started at 8 am in a completely independent manner under the supervision of observers, micro observers, candidates and their agents posted by the Election Commission of India. For which counting staff and other related counting centers will reach at 6.30 in the morning.
Deputy Commissioner Shaukat Ahmed Pare said that 2500 postal ballots and ETBPs have been received, their counting will be done separately, for which the postal ballot papers and ETBPs will be counted. Separate tables have been set up. The results of each round of counting of votes will be provided and these results will also be available on the website of the Election Commission.
The Deputy Commissioner said that the entry of the media at the counting centers will be with the official authority letter of the Election Commission of India and for the convenience of these authorized journalists, a main media center has been set up at the auditorium of Thapar University, Patiala, where the media will be informed about the results of each round. Information will be provided. He clarified that according to the clear instructions of the Election Commission, the use of mobile phones for taking videos or photos inside any counting center is prohibited and photos and videos can only be taken with a camera.
Meanwhile, SSP Varun Sharma said that according to the instructions of the Election Commission, there are three layers of strict security arrangements around the blockade counting centers under which Central Security Force, Punjab Armed Police and District Police are stationed outside. The SSP said that no anti-social elements will be allowed to take the law into their own hands Because the police have made strict security arrangements for the entire counting process to be carried out in a smooth and peaceful manner.
Deputy Commissioner Shaukat Ahmed Pare and SSP Varun Sharma appealed to the candidates and their supporters, including political parties, to extend full cooperation to the civil and police administration to follow the ideal electoral code during the counting of Lok Sabha votes. He said that the counting of votes is the last and important stage of the democratic process, so the candidates and their supporters should not allow any kind of tense and nervous situation to arise. On this occasion, ADC (Rural Development) Dr. Harjinder Singh Bedi, ARO and ADC (UD) Navreet Kaur Sekhon, PDA ACA Jashnpreet Kaur and EO PDA Deepjot Kaur, DDPO Amandeep Kaur, Election Tehsildar Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, District Information and Science Officer Sanjeev Kumar Sharma and other officers were present.