the goan I network
MARGAO
Call it a voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) system effect or otherwise, counting staff, security and traffic personnel will be served with not only breakfast, lunch and tea, but dinner as well this time round as the election authorities anticipate delay in counting of votes on May 23 on account of VVPAT slip counting.
Take note, for the first time ever, even counting agents of political parties will be entitled for lunch, tea and dinner at the multipurpose centre, Borda as part of the new set of counting arrangements put in place by the Election Commission.
Sources in the know informed that the district election authorities have placed orders for breakfast, lunch and dinner for over 1500 staff, personnel and counting agents on the counting day. In this context, the authorities are believed to have roped in around four different caterers to ensure that the supply of food is not only reliable, but
the caterer supplies fresh and hygienic food to the counting staff, security personnel and the agents.
This is perhaps the first time in recent history that the election authorities have placed orders for dinner as well for the counting staff and agents as they expect the counting to drag on till late in the night given the counting of VVPAT slips during the counting process.
With the Election Commission finally settling for counting of VVPAT slips of five polling booths of each Assembly segment, the number of polling booths which will be taken up for VVPAT slip counting is pegged around 100 with the South Goa Lok Sabha Assembly constituency consisting of 20 Assembly segments.
South Goa Returning Officer, Ajit Roy has called for patience on the part of the contesting candidates and their agents as the counting process will get delayed this time because of the counting of VVPAT slips.
Questions raised over app efficacy
MARGAO: How quick will be Election Commission’s Suvidha App on counting day, is a question doing the rounds in official circles as it is believed that the efficacy of the App will determine the announcement of results.
In fact, the South Goa returning officer and his staff will conduct a mock counting exercise on Tuesday to determine the efficacy of Suvidha App in the presence of the contesting
candidates and their election agents. Sources said only the database staff will participate in the Tuesday rehearsal.
Sources said the half-day election, which will begin at 8 am on Tuesday and end at 1 pm and will test the Suvidha App as the Election Commission has declared that the election results will be announced only after entering them on suvidha.eci.gov.in.
The mock exercise assumes significance as it intends to put the Suvidha App on test as officials believe that the announcement of results of various rounds of counting will depend on the efficacy of the Suvidha App.
As per the arrangements, only the Returning Officers and AROS are authorised to update election results on Suvidha App. The ROs are required to update the round wise date every five minutes on the websites.
