AP Chief Electoral Officer inaugurates training camp on counting in Amaravati

Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gopal Krishna Dwivedi, on Tuesday, inaugurated the training programme for Returning Officers and staff on counting.

A total of ten persons per district will be trained in the programme on the precautions to be taken and rules and regulations to be followed. The trained personnel will then go to their respective districts and train local personnel on May 17.

The process begins with the counting of postal ballot votes. If postal votes are more than the majority votes obtained by the winner, postal ballots will be recounted.

For vote counting, staff will be selected on the randomization method just one day prior to the day of counting. Locals, residents or even those employed in the assembly constituency should not be employed in the counting process. The observers will select the counting staff and announce their counting table only one hour before the process starts.

It is estimated that a maximum of 150 counting staff will be required for one assembly constituency. The administration is planning to provide 20 per cent extra manpower for the same.

The counting will begin on May 23 for twenty five parliamentary constituencies and one hundred seventy five assembly constituencies under the supervision of observers. Three tier security arrangements will also be provided for counting.