MARGAO
As the stage is set for the counting of votes of the South Goa Lok Sabha constituency on June 4, the election authorities will take up counting of votes of all the 20 Assembly segments that make up the South Goa Lok Sabha constituency at one go.
This means that counting of votes of all the 20 Assembly segments will start simultaneously, exactly at 8 am on June 4, indicating that the result should be out by noon.
Barring the three halls which will count votes of the Assembly segments of Margao, Fatorda and Canacona, each of the remaining 17 counting halls will have seven tables each to take up the counting of votes. The counting halls of Margao, Fatorda and Canacona have a capacity to host 14 counting tables.
Election officials informed that in order to take up the simultaneous counting of votes of all the 20 Assembly segments at one go, the authorities have appointed eight Additional Assistant Electoral Returning Officers (AEROs) on counting day.
While the strong room is expected to be opened by the election authorities in the wee hours of June 4 before the sealed EVMs are brought to the 20 counting halls, actual counting of votes polled in the EVMs will start at 8 am.
The VVPAT slips will be taken up for counting by the election officials from each segment at random as per the Election Commission of India guidelines.
Even as the election machinery is gearing up for the counting of votes on June 4, the political parties too are bracing up for the D-Day. It is learnt that the Congress party had arranged a training session for the counting agents, who will be drafted at the counting centre on June 4.
The EVMs of the South Goa Lok Sabha constituency have been kept under lock and key in the strong room at the Damodar College building, Margao. The EVMs are being protected by Goa police as well as paramilitary forces as per the laid down security guidelines.
