Counting of votes for 542 Lok Sabha seats to take place on May 23
Staff Reporters
India is eagerly waiting for D day May 23 when results of 17 Lok Sabha elections come out. The over a month-long general elections to elect the 17th Lok Sabha concluded with end of seventh and final phase of polls on May 19,
Preparations are in full swing in all the states for smooth conduct of the counting process. Counting of votes for Lok Sabha and four state assemblies- Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha- will take place on Thursday.
As per the instruction from the Election Commission of India, five Polling stations will be randomly selected for verification of VVPAT slip. So far, twenty observers have been appointed for the day.
Media cells has also been set up in all the districts under the supervision of the District Administrations. On the counting day, there will be three tier security arrangements whereby, Central Armed Police Forces will be guarding the inner most cordon, while the first and second tier will be manned by the state police, and Indian Reserve Battalion.
Besides, necessary training were also imparted to all the counting personnel deployed in the districts along with the Assistant ROs who will be supervising the counting process.
Counting of votes along with four state assemblies of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will be taken up on Thursday.
Briefing media in New Delhi, Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha said 2019 general elections were more peaceful as compared to the 2014 edition.
With the completion of the polling, the fate of 8,049 candidates, in the fray for 542 Lok Sabha seats, has been sealed.
Meanwhile the exit poll forecast has led to hectic parleys in political circles with TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu taking the lead in huddling up an anti-BJP front as pollsters predict comfortable majority for the National Democratic Alliance. With just two days left for the counting day, the top leaders are up for a busy Tuesday to devise post-result schemes.
While the Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to host a dinner for all top NDA leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, the opposition leaders will meet in the national capital to discuss the political situation and possibilities to stake claim for government formation.