COUNTING OF VOTES

Counting of votes of one Assembly Constituency at different places in the same premises.

Election Commission's Letter No. 470/94/Vol.II/JS-II Dated: 29-12-1994 addressed to the Chief Electoral Officers of all States (Except Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka and Sikkim) and Union Territories.

Subject : Counting of votes of one Assembly Constituency at different places in same premises - regarding.

I am directed to forward herewith a copy of the Commission's message No. 470/94/JS-II, dated 08.12.1994 on the subject cited addressed to the Chief Electoral Officers of Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka and Sikkim. The contents of the message cited above may be brought to the notice of all the returning officers.

2. Kindly acknowledge receipt by an immediate message.

MESSAGE

Copy of Election Commission Message No. 470/94/J.S.II Dated: 8th December, 1994, addressed to the Chief Electoral Officers of (1) Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad (2) Karnataka, Bangalore (3) Goa, Panaji (4) Sikkim, Gangtok

Regarding counting of votes of one assembly constituency at different places in same premises(.) Para(.)

Your attention is invited to instructions of counting of votes by mixing the ballot papers as contained in chapter XIV B of Handbook for Returning Officers 1994 edition and in Commission's letter No. 464/94 (INST)-Vol.II dated 29.03.1994 reproduced at pages 170 to 174 in the 1994 Compendium of additional and special instructions for ensuing clean election(.) para(.)

Some doubts have been raised as to the procedure to be adopted when the votes of one assembly constituency are counted at different places(.) Following clarifications are given(.) Para(.)

(One) All counting halls should be in the same premises and each counting hall should be under the charge of a separate officer who has already been notified by the commission as Assistant Returning Officer for the constituency(.) Counting in each hall should be done in respect of only those polling station which are specifically allocated to each such hall(.) para(.)

(Two) Such polling station should not repeat not be allocated in consecutive serial order(.) They should be selected at random so that polling stations of a given area are taken up for counting not in one hall but in different counting halls to ensure that no trend of voting in a given area becomes known(.) Before the commencement of the counting (comma) all candidates/their agents present should be informed of the serial numbers of the polling stations being taken up for counting in each hall(.) A notice to that effect will also be prominently displayed at each counting hall(.) Para(.)

(Three) In such cases (comma) it is not repeat not necessary to mix the ballot papers of all repeat all polling stations in the constituency at one place(.) Only the ballot papers of polling stations being counted in a counting hall will alone be mixed together in the hall(.) After allocating the polling stations to different counting hall by selecting the polling stations at random as aforesaid (comma) the polled ballot boxes of those polling stations shall be taken to the counting hall concerned and further steps to open and verify those boxes etc. shall be done in that particular hall(.) After initial counting (comma) the ballot papers contained in the ballot boxes of those polling stations allocated to that hall shall be mixed together there itself and thereafter the second stage of detailed counting to count them candidate wise shall also be taken in that hall itself(.) Para(.)

(Four) Along with the polled ballot boxes of the polling stations allocated to a particular counting hall (comma) all relevant forms like ballot paper account (form 16) (comma) paper seal account (comma) presiding officers diaries (comma) etc., relating to those polling stations shall also be handed over to the Assistant Returning Officer of the constituency who is put in charge of that counting hall(.) It shall be the duty of the Assistant Returning Officer to ensure that he has received all repeat all polled ballot boxes and the other records relating to polling stations allocated to that counting hall under his charge(.) para(.)

(Five) It may be clearly understood that each of such different counting hall where the votes of one assembly constituency are counted the Assistant Returning Officer shall follow the procedure of entire counting prescribed(.) Para(.)

(Six) First and second parts of final result sheet in form 20 appended to Conduct of Elections Rules 1961 printed at pages 435 to 436 (Annexure XLI) in the Handbook for Returning Officers (1994 edition) (comma) shall be filled separately by each Assistant Returning Officer in charge of each counting hall(.) After completing counting in each counting hall (comma) the result of voting prepared by each Assistant Returning Officer in charge of a counting hall shall be consolidated by Returning Officer in last part of form 20 (page 436) as for a parliamentary constituency by adopting that form as follows(.) for quote(.) name of assembly constituency(.) unquote (.) in column one use the words quote(.) Name or number of counting hall(.) unquote(.) the heading in bracket(.) quote(.) for parliamentary constituency only(.) unquote(.) may be deleted(.) Para (.)

Inform all Returning Officers accordingly who are counting votes in more than one hall(.) para(.)

Acknowledge receipt by return fax message urgently.



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