••Postal ballot counting commences at 8 am
••EVMs counting begins at 8:30 am
K Varaprasadarao
Vijayawada: June 3: As the counting process for the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections is set to begin shortly, State Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena on Monday provided a detailed overview of the preparations and schedule for the counting of votes, emphasising the stringent measures in place to ensure a smooth and transparent process.
Meena announced that the counting of postal ballot votes will commence at 8:00 am, followed by the counting of votes from Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) starting at 8:30 am. A significant turnout was noted, with 3.33 crore people exercising their right to vote in Andhra Pradesh. Additionally, 4.61 lakh individuals utilized the postal ballot system, including 26,473 home voters and 26,721 service voters who voted electronically.
The CEO confirmed that counting arrangements have been meticulously completed in all districts. He explained that in some locations, postal ballots will be counted separately in designated counting halls for the Lok Sabha, while in other halls, the EVM vote counting will commence at 8:30 am.
For the Parliamentary constituencies, 2,443 EVM tables and 443 postal ballot tables have been set up, whereas, for the Assembly constituencies, 2,446 EVM tables and 557 postal ballot tables are ready. A total of 401 counting halls have been established across 33 areas in the state. To ensure the process is closely monitored, the Election Commission has appointed 119 observers.
Meena further elaborated on the postal ballot counting process, indicating that in 102 assembly constituencies, counting will be conducted in 1 to 2 rounds, 3 rounds in 48 constituencies, and 4 rounds in 25 constituencies. He also disclosed the significant seizures made in the State from January 1 to June 2, totaling Rs. 483.15 crore. This includes Rs. 170 crore in cash, liquor worth Rs. 62 crore, drugs worth Rs. 36 crore, goods worth Rs. 186 crore, and gifts worth Rs. 29 crore.