Kolkata:
The state electoral office is all set for counting of votes on Friday for West Bengal Assembly elections.
Chief electoral officer Sunil Gupta said it would take approximately 10 hours to complete the entire counting process.
"There will be 87 counting venues with 312 halls for the counting of 294 constituencies spread over 20 electoral districts of West Bengal. There will be 4605 tables where nearly 14,500 people will be employed in the counting process," he said.
According to the latest EC instruction, the counting of each constituency should be done in one hall and the EC-deputed observer, retiring officer and representatives of the candidates should be present there so that they can supervise the counting process and absolute transparency is maintained, he said.
Two halls have, however, been allotted for 18 constituencies as a single hall couldn't be arranged, he said.
Referring to security arrangements, Gupta said there would be a three-tier system in place in counting centres and the final tier would be manned by the central forces. None but the observer and the retiring officer would be allowed to enter the counting halls with a mobile phone.
Apart from the state forces, about 75 companies of Central forces will be deployed to guard counting centres.
"The EC has also decided to keep an additional 144 companies of central force to maintain law and order in the state," Gupta said.
Central forces will stay in the state till May 23 to tackle the post-poll situation as per the EC directive, he added.
Chief electoral officer Sunil Gupta said it would take approximately 10 hours to complete the entire counting process.
"There will be 87 counting venues with 312 halls for the counting of 294 constituencies spread over 20 electoral districts of West Bengal. There will be 4605 tables where nearly 14,500 people will be employed in the counting process," he said.
According to the latest EC instruction, the counting of each constituency should be done in one hall and the EC-deputed observer, retiring officer and representatives of the candidates should be present there so that they can supervise the counting process and absolute transparency is maintained, he said.
Two halls have, however, been allotted for 18 constituencies as a single hall couldn't be arranged, he said.
Referring to security arrangements, Gupta said there would be a three-tier system in place in counting centres and the final tier would be manned by the central forces. None but the observer and the retiring officer would be allowed to enter the counting halls with a mobile phone.
Apart from the state forces, about 75 companies of Central forces will be deployed to guard counting centres.
"The EC has also decided to keep an additional 144 companies of central force to maintain law and order in the state," Gupta said.
Central forces will stay in the state till May 23 to tackle the post-poll situation as per the EC directive, he added.
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