Lucknow. Counting of votes will be held in Mainpuri Lok Sabha and Rampur and Khatauli assembly seats today. The counting of votes will start at 8 am and the results will be out by noon. The Election Commission of India has made elaborate arrangements and security arrangements for fair, safe and peaceful counting on all the three seats.
24.43 lakh voters will decide the fate of the candidates
Chief Electoral Officer Ajay Kumar Shukla said that 24.43 lakh voters exercised their franchise in the by-elections to be held on all the three seats. Of these, 13.14 lakh men, 11.29 lakh women and 132 third gender votes
Direct contest between BJP and SP-RLD alliance
- There is a direct contest between the BJP and the Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal alliance on all three seats. Six candidates are in the fray for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat, of which two are women.
- The main contest is between Dimple Yadav of SP and Raghuraj Singh Shakya of BJP on the seat vacated by the demise of SP’s founder Mulayam Singh Yadav.
- The main contest on the Rampur assembly seat, which fell vacant due to cancellation of senior SP leader Mohd. Azam Khan’s legislature, is between BJP’s Akash Saxena and SP’s Asim Raja. A total of 10 candidates are in the fray here.
- A total of 14 candidates are trying their luck on the Khatauli assembly seat in Muzaffarnagar, which fell vacant due to the end of BJP MLA Vikram Saini’s assembly membership, out of which four are women.
- Here there is a direct fight between BJP’s Rajkumari Saini and RLD’s Madan Bhaiya.
Counting of votes will be held amid tight security
In order to maintain peace and order in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha and Rampur and Khatauli assembly by-elections, elaborate security arrangements will be made at the counting places on Thursday. Senior officials have been asked to be present at the counting centers to monitor all the activities. ADG law and order Prashant Kumar says that there will be a system of three-way checking at the counting places in Mainpuri, Rampur and Khatauli. So that no unwanted element can reach the counting place.
EVM machines kept under surveillance of central security forces
Instructions have been given to keep full vigilance around the counting places and for the police teams to remain mobile. EVM machines have been kept under the supervision of central security forces. Along with the police, PAC personnel will also be deployed everywhere. After the results are out, the local district administration and police officers will take a decision regarding any kind of procession after looking at the circumstances. Instructions have been given to maintain peace and order along with strictly dealing with the disturbing elements at all places. The ADG says that till now the by-election has been completely peaceful. The notification system has also been activated along with the police so that there is no disturbance during the counting of votes. Police will also keep a close watch on internet media.
Arrangement for transporting EVMs from strong room to Gana Pandal under the security cover of CPMF
Mainpuri District Election Officer Avinash Krishna Singh said that officials, counting personnel, media personnel will enter from Gate 1, while counting agents will be given entry from Gate 3. The one who will get the banned equipment mobile, it will be deposited at the gate itself. First of all, the postal ballot ballots will be counted from 8 am. Arrangements have been made to take the EVMs from the strong room to the counting pandal under the security cordon of the CPMF.
There will be videography of every activity at the counting place
Taking stock of the counting preparations for the by-elections in Krishi Mandi, he told that the counting agents would be present at their respective tables and monitor the process, videography of every activity would be done, complete arrangements would be made to make the counting fair and transparent. Every calculation related activity will be completely transparent. For counting of Postal Ballot, ETPBS, 28 tables will be set up, one counting agent of each candidate will be present on the table. He told the CCTV in-charge that every activity of the entire pandal should be captured in the CCTV camera, for this, as many cameras as are required should be installed. The Returning Officer should immediately prepare a movement plan to take the Electronic Voting Machine to the counting pandal.
Foolproof security arrangements for vote counting
Criminal tendency and protected person should not be made counting agent. SP Kamlesh Dixit said that foolproof security arrangements have been made for the counting of votes, the security of the counting area will be three-tier. Don’t let the crowd gather anywhere around the counting place, Section 144 is applicable in the district. Deputy District Election Officer Ram Ji Mishra, Assistant Returning Officer Mainpuri, Bhogaon, Kishni, Karhal Navodita Sharma, Anjali Singh, RN Verma, Gopal Sharma, Executive Engineer Public Works Sudhir Kumar etc were present during the inspection.