By Firstdespatch Desk Feb 28, 2023
Agartala, Feb 28 (FD) Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gitte Kirankumar Dinakarrao said that all counting observers, appointed by the Election Commission were instructed to ensure that votes are counted in a free, fair and transparent way.
He said they would reach Tripura by Tuesday night.
For the first time in the northeastern state, the EC has appointed a counting observer for each of the 60 assembly constituencies.
During the February 16 assembly polls, 89.90 per cent of 28.13 lakh voters exercised their franchise. Votes will be counted on March 2.
“All counting observers will be reaching the state today,” Dinakarrao told reporters here.
All counting observers are IAS officers who are coming from various states across the country, an official said.
“Polled EVMs are kept in strong rooms. The EVMs will be taken up for counting in presence of the Election Commission-appointed observers,” the CEO said.
Votes will be counted in 21 Counting Halls from 8 am on Thursday.
There will be a three-tier security layer in all counting halls, Dinakarrao said.
Postal ballots will be taken up for counting first, which will be followed by EVMs. The EC has received 65,693 postal ballots, he said.
The CEO was speaking to reporters after visiting the Umakanta Academy Counting Hall where votes of 14 assembly segments will be counted. FD JK