THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Counting of votes has begun in the 140 assembly constituencies and Malappuram Lok Sabha seat in the state, where election and by-election respectively were held on April 6.
The strong rooms where EVMs are stored were opened in the morning in the presence of election observers and counting agents. While the counting of postal ballots began at 8 AM, EVM votes will be counted from 8.30 AM.
As many as 24,709 officials, including reserve personnel, have been deployed for counting. While 2.03 crore EVM votes from 40,771 polling booths will be counted, the number of postal ballots to be taken up for counting is around five lakh. Strict compliance with Covid protocol will be ensured throughout the counting process.
Due to a large number of postal ballots and increase in the number of polling booths by around 90%, the declaration of results is likely to be delayed. Recounting of postal ballots will be done in seats where majority of the winning candidate is less than the postal ballots polled.
Most of the exit polls have predicted the LDF returning to power and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had directed officials to make arrangements for swearing in of the new government on the very next day (May 3) owing to the worsening Covid situation.