COUNTING OF VOTES

Clarification on two sets of counting personnel during counting
Election Commission's Message No. 470/96/J.S.II/dated 7th May, 1996 addressed to the Chief Electoral Officers of all States and Union Territories
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Subject: Clarification on two sets of Counting personnel.

REFERENCE COUNTING OF VOTES (.)

(2) CLARIFICATION HAS BEEN SOUGHT BY SOME OF THE CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICERS AS TO WHETHER TWO SETS OF COUNTING PERSONNEL MAY BE DEPLOYED FOR COUNTING OF VOTES (SO THAT THE FIRST SET MAY BE REPLACED BY THE SECOND SET) AS THE COUNTING IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE FOR LONG HOURS(.)

3. ATTENTION IN THIS REGARD IS INVITED TO RULE 60 OF THE CONDUCT OF ELECTION RULES, 1961 WHICH PROVIDES AS FOLLOWS:-

"COUNTING TO BE CONTINUOUS,- THE RETURNING OFFICER SHALL, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, PROCEED CONTINUOUSLY WITH THE COUNTING AND SHALL, DURING ANY INTERVALS WHEN THE COUNTING HAS TO BE SUSPENDED, KEEP THE BALLOT PAPERS, PACKETS AND ALL OTHER PAPERS RELATING TO THE ELECTION SEALED WITH HIS OWN SEAL AND THE SEALS OF SUCH CANDIDATES OR ELECTION AGENTS AS MAY DESIRE TO AFFIX THEIR SEALS AND TAKE SUFFICIENT PRECAUTIONS FOR THEIR SAFE CUSTODY DURING SUCH INTERVALS."

4. IT WILL BE OBSERVED FROM SAID RULE THAT COUNTING HAS TO BE CONTINUOUS AS FAR AS POSSIBLE (.) SUFFICIENT STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO ENSURE SAFETY OF ALL BALLOT PAPERS AND ELECTION RECORDS AT ALL TIMES.

5. COMMISSION FEELS THAT IT WOULD BE BEST TO STICK TO ONE SET OF COUNTING STAFF (.) HOWEVER (,) SUITABLE BREAKS MAY BE PROVIDED TO INDIVIDUALS FOR REFRESHING THEMSELVES BY TOILET FACILITIES AND REFRESHMENTS (.). WHENEVER THIS IS DONE STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO ENSURE COMPLETE SAFETY AND SECRECY OF ALL BALLOT PAPERS AND ELECTION RECORDS (.)

6. NO SUSPENSION OF COUNTING SHOULD TAKE PLACE UNLESS THE CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANT ANY SUSPENSION (,) FOR EXAMPLE (,) LAW AND ORDER SITUATION (,) NATURAL CALAMITY (,) ETC (.)

7. THE RETURNING OFFICER/ASSISTANT RETURNING OFFICER IN CHARGE OF COUNTING IS (,) HOWEVER (,) AT LIBERTY TO REPLACE ANY MEMBER OF THE COUNTING STAFF DURING THE COUNTING PROCESS WHERE HEALTH CONDITION DEMAND HIS REPLACEMENT(.)

8. KINDLY BRING COMMISSION'S ABOVE DIRECTIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS TO THE NOTICE OF ALL RETURNING OFFICERS FOR THEIR INFORMATION, GUIDANCE AND STRICT COMPLIANCE(.)




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