Firm Action for Lapses in Vote Counting, Says Chief Electoral Officer; Strict Instructions Issued

Thiruvananthapuram: State Chief Electoral Officer U Rathan Khelkar has said that detailed and strict instructions have been issued to all Returning Officers regarding the vote-counting process, warning that any lapse will lead to firm action.

He stated that counting of postal ballots will begin at 8.00 am, followed by counting of votes recorded in Electronic Voting Machines at around 8.30 am. Officials have been directed to proceed to the next round only after ensuring complete clarity and accuracy in each stage of counting. “There is no reward for finishing early, but there will certainly be consequences for mistakes,” he emphasized.

A total of 15,465 official have been deployed for the counting process, including 140 Returning Officers, 1,340 Additional Returning Officers, 4,208 micro observers, 4,208 counting supervisors, and 5,563 counting assistants.

In addition, 32,301 police personnel have been deployed to ensure tight security arrangements at counting centres across the state.