AP Phase-4 GP polls: Counting of votes to be recorded

VIJAYAWADA: The State Election Commission directed district collectors and SPs to record the counting process in ‘sensitive’, ‘hyper- sensitive’ and ‘troublesome’ gram panchayats to enable it to be held in a free, fair and transparent manner in the ensuing phase-4 polls.

In a statement issued here on Friday, the SEC laid stress that collectors, district election authorities and SPs should strictly implement its directions to record the counting process through webcast or CC cameras or videography and preserve such recordings and footage as an election record.

The SEC also issued instructions to ensure uninterrupted power supply by putting on standby alternatives like generators and inverters and adequate lighting in all counting centres. It mandated that no information should be leaked out on polling trends. It instructed officials to order for recount of votes only in close cases and not where the win margin was in double-digits. The returning officers have been asked to permit recounting of votes only once as per the law.

The Commission instructed to position a supervisory officer in sensitive, hyper sensitive and in large gram panchayats in order to ensure recording of the counting process.

Referring to the High Court order that all the concerned officers should implement the directions in letter and spirit, the SEC extended such a facility in sensitive, hyper-sensitive and trouble-prone gram panchayats.