Extensive preparations at NITK Surathkal for vote counting on May 13

Mangaluru: The DK District Deputy Commissioner Ravikumar MR, who also serves as the District Election Officer, inspected the final preparations at NITK Surathkal on Friday, for the counting of votes of the Karnataka Assembly elections.

In order to ensure a fair and transparent counting process, a CCTV camera has been installed at each counting table, facilitating webcasting. This innovative feature allows officials to closely monitor the counting proceedings and prevent any irregularities.

Should any unforeseen technical issues arise with the EVMs or if they cannot be promptly accessed by the technical experts, the voter slips stored in the VVPAT machines will be meticulously counted, the DC said.

With NITK Suratkal designated as the vote-counting center for 8 assembly constituencies, elaborate arrangements have been made for the counting process. A total of 112 tables for counting votes registered in Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and 40 tables for counting postal ballots have been set up. The counting will commence promptly at 8 am, with the initial focus on counting the postal votes. After an interval of half an hour, the counting of the EVMs will begin, he said.

The counting of votes will be conducted in a maximum of 18 rounds per constituency. The results are anticipated to be declared by approximately 2 pm, he added.

To guarantee the security of the counting center, a dedicated security zone has been established within a 100-meter radius, strictly prohibiting unauthorized individuals and vehicles from entering the premises. Three levels of security, comprising over 1,000 policemen, paramilitary forces, and home guards, have been deployed to maintain a safe and controlled environment. Furthermore, a prohibitory order under Section 144 will be enforced from 5 am to 12 midnight on May 13 fot ensuring a peaceful and secure atmosphere throughout the day, the DC said.