Telangana polls: Curious to know results? Initial trends to emerge before you head to office

Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar said that it all depends on how efficiently staff completes the rounds of voting.

Officers on election duty making arrangements at the Amberpet GHMC ground counting center (Photo | EPS/ Vinay Madapu)

HYDERABAD:  As the office goers start leaving for their 9 ‘o’ clock shifts on Tuesday morning, they will also start getting a fair idea of which politician will be representing them in the Telangana Assembly as the counting of votes is set to begin at 8 am.

But those who are curious to know which party or their candidate has won the seats in the 119 constituencies, they may have to a little longer, though not for too long, as the initial trends on the results are likely to emerge around 10 am. The process will start with manual counting of 44,258 postal ballots and thereafter votes in EVM will be counted. Counting postal ballots will take around one-and-half hour. So votes in EVMs might be counted from 9.30 am. While a total of 2,379 rounds of counting of votes will be held in 119 constituencies, lowest of 12 rounds will held at Aswaraopet & Bhadrachalam & highest of 42 rounds in Serilingampally. 

Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar said that it all depends on how efficiently staff completes the rounds of voting. Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Rajat Kumar said that apart from 3,356 counting staff, a 1,916 micro observers, around 20,000 police personnel will be on duty. The process will be taken up in presence of poll agents of different parties.     

Postal ballots

While TPCC members on Sunday had alleged that 15,000 to 20,000 government employees, teachers constables and others who were on election duty did not receive postal ballots, CEO denied it and said that whoever submitted Form-12 were issued postal ballots. 

Telangana Teachers Federation members said that since the employees who were on election duty received Postal Ballots on Saturday, they could not mail it on Sunday as post offices were closed. However, The CEO said that the Postal Department assured that the postal ballots will be delivered in time to either Returning Officer or Counting Centre. 

KCR’s name deleted

Regarding TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao’s name appearing in voters list both in Siddipet and Gajwel, the CEO said that the Rao’s name was deleted from one of the constituencies following the due process. 
“He (KCR) expressed willingness to continue in Chintamadaka (Siddipet),” he said, adding that accordingly his name was deleted from the other constituency. He also said that while same names appearing twice is not a criminal offence, it counts as an offence if vote is casted in two places.

3-tier security to be deployed at counting centres

Speaking to mediapersons on Monday, Additional DGP (Law and Order) Jitender said, “Three tier security will deployed at the counting centres and strong rooms. In the first tier, central forces will be deployed and in the second and third tier, the State police will be placed to prevent untoward incidents.

A senior IPS officer will monitor security at each counting centre,” Jitender said. The Additional DG further said that they would not allow victory processions after counting process is done. The candidates must take permission from the police for conducting any victory procession.