Counting for WB assembly polls to take 10 hours

Counting for West Bengal Assembly polls tomorrow will take ten hours approximately, Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Gupta said today.

"There will be 87 counting venues with 312 halls for counting the results of 294 constituencies spread over 20 electoral districts. It will take ten hours," Gupta said. There will be 4605 tables with 14,500 persons for the counting process, he said.

According to the latest EC instruction counting for each constituency should be be done in a single hall with the EC-deputed observer, returning officer and representatives of the candidates present so that there was absolute transparency, he said. The EC has, however, exempted 18 assembly constituencies where two halls have been allotted since a single hall could not be found, Gupta said.

None except the observer and the retiring officer will be allowed to enter the counting halls with a mobile phone.

Referring to security arrangements, Gupta said there will be three-tier security at counting centres with one to be manned by central forces.

About 75 companies of central forces will be deployed to guard the counting centres, beside state forces, he said. "The EC has also decided to keep an additional 144 companies of central forces to maintain law and order in the state," Gupta said.