Counting for 760 local bodies, 2 assembly seats in UP begins
Insight Online News
Lucknow, May 13 : Counting of votes for 760 urban local bodies along with two assembly constituencies Suar and Chhanbey, where by-polls are being held, began on Saturday amidst tight security arrangements, an official spokesman said.
The spokesman said that while for 760 urban local bodies the counting is being done at 353 places and for two assembly seats it is held at two places. “The counting of votes started at 8 am,” he said.
It may be noted that while polling for 17 Municipal Corporation was done through electronic voting machines, ballot papers were used in other urban local bodies, including 195 Nagar Palika Parishads and 544 Nagar Panchayats across the state.
A police spokesman said that the entire police force has been kept on high alert to ensure free and fair counting. “The counting of votes is being done for posts of mayors and 1,420 corporators in 17 Municipal Corporations, Chairpersons and 5,327 members of 199 Palika Parishads and Chairpersons and 7,177 members of Nagar Panchayats,” he said.
He said that for counting of votes in Suar and Chhanbey triangular security arrangement, including outer, inner and isolation cordon led by gazetted officers has been made in which heavy deployment of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) along with PAC, district police and home guards has been done.
The spokesman said that as per the directives of the State Election Commission (SEC) 151 Additional Superintendents of Police (ASP), 467 Deputy SPs, 2,096 Inspectors, 11,445 Sub-Inspectors (SI), 18,353 head constables, 49,650 constables, 5,869 home guards, 87 companies of PAC and 35 companies of CAPF has been deployed at 334 counting centers.
He said that similarly for counting in Suar and Chhanbey 2 ASPs, 6 DSPs, 24 Inspectors, 83 SIs, 261 head constables, 471 constables and 6 companies of CAPF have been deployed.
Meanwhile, State Election Commissioner Manoj Kumar said that to ensure free and fair counting for urban local bodies directives have been issued to hold counting under supervision of CCTV cameras and videography should be done if needed. He has directed that the result of every round of counting should be announced through loudspeakers.
He has directed that no distinguished dignitaries, persons with security and criminal tendencies should be made counting agents. “The SEC has directed that no candidate should be allowed to take out victory procession as processions after counting is over is banned. Around 35,000 personnel have been deployed for counting of votes in all the districts of the state,” a spokesman said.
It may be noted that polling for the urban local bodies were held in two phases on May 4 and May 11. While around 52 percent votes were polled in the first phase, 53 percent votes were polled in the second phase.
Polling for two assembly seats was held on May 10.
