Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 18: Returning Officer Jammu Parliamentary constituency, Ramesh Kumar today reviewed the arrangements put in place at Government Polytechnic and MAM College for the counting of votes.
The Returning Officer visited both the counting centres. He was accompanied by SSP Jammu Tejinder Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioners Rishpal Singh and Dr Tahir Firdous, SDM South Shrikant Balasaheb Suse, SDM North Satish Sharma, SP South Vinay Sharma, Chief Planning Officer Yoginder Singh Katoch, Additional SP Security Shaheen Wahid and other senior officers of the concerned department.
The counting centre established at the Government Polytechnic College will cover 11 Assembly constituencies which includes Samba, Vijaypur, Nagrota, Jammu East, R.S Pura, Suchetgarh, Marh, Raipur Domana, Surankote, Mendhar and Poonch Haveli.
The counting centres of MAM college Jammu will cover 9 Assembly constituencies which includes Gandhinagar, Jammu West, Bishnah, Akhnoor, Chhamb, Nowshera, Darhal, Rajouri and Kalakote.
Returning Officer reviewed the security arrangements including the deployment of paramilitary and JKP personnel, staff for counting of votes, facilities being made for the counting agents and mechanism for declaration of results. He stressed upon the officers to follow the plan to ensure that counting will be done in most efficient and transparent way.
Barricading, traffic management in and around the counting centers, parking of vehicles, entry of counting staff and polling agents, information dissemination by the counting officers to the polling agents, establishment of control rooms and media centre for updating voting results and its display, drinking water availability, installation of mobile toilets, cleaning and mosquito fogging around the centers, installation of public address system, fire tenders availability and other issues were also discussed in detail during the visit.
Returning Officer directed the security officers not to allow mobile phones or other electronic gadgets as they are prohibited in the counting centers and no person without valid ID proof to be allowed to enter the premises of the counting centers.
Kumar also passed necessary directions to the nodal officers for the procedure to be followed on the movement of Electronic Voting Machines during the counting process to be as per the directions and guidelines of the Election Commission of India.
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