Dimapur, February 28 (MExN): Counting of votes for the election to the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly will begin at 8:00 am in all the 16 districts. The Nagaland Chief Electoral Officer has made arrangements for the vote counting centres in all the respective districts, informed a press release from the CEO’s Media Cell received here on Tuesday.
It was informed that in addition to the already deployed General Observers, the Commission will be deploying officers as Counting Observers to oversee the counting centre arrangement as well as to monitor all activities relating to the counting of votes.
Besides, the CEO office has also set all the arrangements to deploy the counting personnel including Supervisors, Assistants, Micro Observers and Tabulators. The votes will be counted in different allotted numbers of tables according to the Assembly Constituency wise in segments. The counting venue will be held in different locations with tight security, it informed.
The ADC office has been designated as the counting centre for Peren and Pughoboto; Zunheboto in Town hall/Badminton Hall; Wokha in Tiyi Hall; Tuensang in CKS /SIRD Hall; and counting in the rest of the districts would be held in their respective DC’s office.
On the day of counting, strong room will be opened and polled EVMs will be brought to the Counting room in the presence of Candidates, RO and Observer under Videography and CCTV coverage under security.
Media persons with Authority letters issued from the Election Commission of India may be allowed access into the counting centers (For entry/ re-entry into counting centres). Terms and conditions for the use of authority letter must be adhered to by any assigned officials including media persons during counting of votes, it added.
DC & DEO Kohima informs
Meanwhile, the Kohima DC and District Election Officer, Shanavas C has informed that vote counting for the 8 Western Angami Assembly Constituency (AC) will be done at DB's Court with 6 tables; 9 Kohima Town AC at DPDB Hall with 8 tables; 10 Northern Angami-I AC at DRDA Conference Hall 7 with 5 tables; 11 Northern Angami-II AC at Pensioner's Building, 1st Floor with 6 tables; 14 Southern Angami-I AC at DC's Conference Hall with 5 tables; and 15 Southern Angami-II AC at DC's Conference Hall with 5 tables.
Accordingly, all the candidates of Kohima District have been informed that, under law, counting agents are to be appointed in Form 18, one for each counting table plus one for the Returning Officer Table with the concerned Returning Officers.
Further, it was requested to take note that the 100-meter periphery around the counting center will be demarcated as a ‘pedestrian zone’ and no vehicles would be allowed. It also informed that only the candidate/ his election agent and counting agents appointed by him and any other person with an authorized photo identity card issued by the Election Commission/District Election Officer/ Returning Officers displayed on his person shall be allowed to cross the first cordon of security ring.
The information also said that no personal items like cellular phones, camera - still or video (except official recordings by appointed persons) are allowed inside the counting hall. If any such items are brought, the same should be deposited at the counter.
