NIE-IT readied for counting on May 15

Mysuru:  Two educational institutions in the city have been readied as counting centres for the counting of votes on May 15. Once the voting process is completed today, the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), Control Units and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trial (VVPAT) machines will be transported to the counting centres where they will be stored in the strong rooms.

The Election Commission has chosen the newly-built Maharani’s College of Commerce and Management at Vinayakanagar and NIE-IT at Koorgalli as counting centres.

Counting of votes will begin on May 15 at 8 am at both the centres and results are expected by afternoon.

At the NIE-IT, votes that have been cast at K.R. Nagar, Periyapatna, Varuna and Chamaraja will be counted and at Maharani’s College, votes cast at Krishnaraja, Narasimharaja, Chamundeshwari, Hunsur, Nanjangud, T. Narasipur and H.D. Kote will be counted

At the NIE-IT, four strong rooms have been established, one each for seven seats. Once the EVMs and the related machines are shifted to the respective rooms, the rooms are sealed by the Returning Officers.

Special counting halls have been established and tables have been set. Each table will have three counting officers. A separate partition has been made for the candidates and their agents to witness the counting process. However, they will have no contact with the counting officers.

Each EVM has a unique code number and after voting, the units must be deposited in the respective containers. All the containers have been numbered and coded and the officers will store the respective EVMs in the containers that have been numbered according to booths/ constituencies.

Since this time VVPATs are used in all the booths, the respective VVPAT machine is also numbered accordingly and coded. Once the EVMs reach the counting centres, they will be placed on the floor that has been segregated, divided and numbered as per the booths.

The strong rooms have only one entry point and double lock system. While one key is kept with Returning Officer and the other with Assistant Returning Officer of concerned Assembly constituency. Other entry points of the strong rooms (including windows) are sealed in such a way that no one has access inside them. The entry point of strong rooms having EVMs has CCTV coverage round-the- clock.