Thoothukudi District Collector G. Lakshmipathy reviewing the arrangements at the counting centre at the Government Engineering College on Sunday, June 2, 2024 | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The counting of votes polled for all 39 Lok Sabha seats of Tamil Nadu during the April 19 general elections, is scheduled to commence at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. The votes polled during the bypoll for the Vilavancode Assembly segment in Kanniyakumari district will also be counted on the same day. Going by previous elections, the declaration of results is expected by evening.
There were 950 candidates in the fray for 39 Lok Sabha seats. The voter turnout in Tamil Nadu during the April 19 general elections stood at 69.72%. While Dharmapuri posted the highest voter turnout with 81.20%, Chennai Central recorded the lowest with 53.96%.
Postal votes would be counted first, as per Rule 54A of the Conduct of Elections Rules 1961. The counting of the votes polled in the electronic voting machines (EVMs) will commence at 8.30 am. Details of the counting personnel who will take part in the process — counting supervisors, counting assistants and micro-observers, will be finalised after three rounds of the randomisation process.
While the first randomisation process has been completed for all centres, the second randomisation is scheduled to take place 24 hours prior to the counting of votes.
For Chennai, District Election Officer J. Radhakrishnan is scheduled to conduct the second randomisation process at the Chennai Corporation headquarters, Ripon Buildings, at 8 a.m. on June 3. The third and final randomisation process will be held at 5 a.m. on June 4.
Over 38,000 counting personnel will be involved in the counting of votes scheduled in 39 counting centres across the State. Elaborate arrangements are in place in 234 rooms located in 43 buildings at these 39 counting centres.
Inside the counting centres
A view of the Sriperumbudur constituency strong room and counting centre at MIT in Chromepet | Photo Credit: VELANKANNI RAJ B
On an average, there will be about 14 tables in each of the counting rooms. In all, there are over 3,200 tables in all the counting centres across the State. However, if there is a necessity for more tables, additional tables will be set up. The counting of votes in each of the counting tables will be video-tapped.
Each of the counting tables would be assigned one counting supervisor (Gazetted Officer or equivalent), one counting assistant, multiple counting staff (Group D employees) and one micro observer. Only those who have been authorised as candidate’s agents (appointed through Form 18) would be provided with identity cards by the respective Returning Officer and allowed inside the counting rooms.
As for seating arrangements, agents of candidates from recognised national parties, recognised State parties, recognised other State parties of other States with reserved symbols, registered unrecognised parties and independent candidates would be given priority in the above order.
The respective RO will supervise the counting of votes at his/her centre. The Assistant Returning Officers are also legally empowered to supervise counting of votes. The counting of votes is to be “continuous without any interval”, as per Rule 60 of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961.y
The counting agents and others will not be allowed to go outside the counting centre during counting process. They would ordinarily be allowed to go outside only after the declaration of the results, according to the Handbook for Returning Officer 2023 published by the Election Commission of India.
Only the Control Unit (CU) of the EVM and the respective Form 17-C will be brought to the counting tables. The agents will, among other tasks, compare the votes displayed on the CUs with the respective Form 17C. “The entry into the Counting Centre, at all times is subject to the over-all requirement of maintenance of law and order, proper decorum and the conduct of peaceful counting,” according to the handbook.
Preparation of results sheet
Once the process of the counting of votes is completed at a centre, the respective Returning Officer (RO) will prepare the final result sheet which will have details of the number of votes polled by each candidate. Once the counting process is completed in all respects, ROs have to proceed to make the formal declaration of the result of the election – Form 21C in case of all 39 Lok Sabha seats and 21D in case of the Vilavancode bypoll.
If two candidates contesting any seat happen to secure the highest number of votes and their votes are equal in number, the result will have to be declared by a draw of lots.
