Elections 2022: The Punjab Chief Election Officer said counting will begin at 8 a.m. in 117 centers.
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Punjab Chief Electoral Officer S Karuna Raju said that in view of the vote counting on Thursday, prohibitions under CrPC Section 144 have been imposed in all districts and gathering people outside the counting centers is prohibited.
All necessary arrangements have been made for the counting, and as per the instructions of the election commission, only two people are allowed to accompany the winning candidate or his official representative to the counting center to collect the certificate, he said, adding that victory parades are prohibited as well.
“For the purposes of the counting of votes, Section 144 (prohibition of the gathering of four or more persons) is imposed in all districts by the district election officers-cum-deputy commissioners and the gathering of people outside the counting centers is prohibited,” he said. said in an official statement on Wednesday.
Mr Raju said the counting will begin at 8 a.m. in 117 centers set up for the exercise in 66 places across the state.
Staff from 45 companies of the Central Armed Police (CAPF) were deployed at the counting centres. About 7,500 officials will be delegated to the counting process in the state, he added.
The area around the counting centers within a radius of 100 meters has been declared a “pedestrian zone” and no one will be allowed to drive in that zone, Mr Raju said.
Three-layer deposit points have been set up to prevent unauthorized persons from entering the counting centres.
The first cordon has been set up within 100 meters of the counting centers where senior magistrates, along with the required police force, will be stationed to keep the crowd under control.
The second drop-off point will be at the gate of the counting centers, where state armed police personnel are deployed, and the third at the entrance to the counting halls, which will be manned by the CAPF.
According to the instructions of the Election Commission, a maximum of 14 counting tables will be set up in each counting center. Separate tables will be prepared for counting the ETPB (Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System) issued to service voters and officials/personnel involved in election duties.
Mr Raju said March 10 has been declared a dry day by the government until the vote count is completed.
He asked all officials involved in the counting process, media and other people who came to the counting centers to adhere strictly to the COVID-19 guidelines.
Cell phones, tablets and laptops or other such electronic devices that can record sound and video are not allowed in the counting centers, Mr Raju said.
The prohibitions would not apply to observers delegated by the Election Commission.
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