Jamshedpur: All roads of steel city are set to lead to the most sought-after venue, the Jamshedpur Cooperative College tomorrow where the fate of 15 candidates of Lok Sabha election will be decided.
The Jamshedpur Parliamentary contest is being seen as a close fight between Bharatiya Janata Party�s Vidyut Varan Mahato and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha�s Dr Ajay Kumar, who is also the sitting MP from the constituency. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha�s Niroop Mohanty is also expected to dazzle everyone if he proves to be a dark horse in the contest.
Counting of votes will start at 8 am at Jamshedpur Cooperative College which houses the strong-room for the Jamshedpur Parliamentary election. Security has been tightened at the strong-room ahead of the counting. Paramilitary forces are in charge of the security at the college apart from district armed police jawans.
In view the most important day, the deputy commissioner-cum-district returning officer of East Singhbhum, Dr Amitabh Kaushal, today paid a visit to the college campus and took stock of the security arrangements. The SSP of East Singhbhum Amol Venukant Homkar was also present during the inspection. The DC and SSP had also visited the college yesterday to supervise security arrangements as well as arrangements for counting of votes.
Votes will be counted amid tight security. The entire district administration machinery is concerned about ensuring a hassle-free counting till declaration of the name of the MP of Jamshedpur.
The DC had earlier held a meeting with Jamshedpur Lok Sabha election candidates to inform them about various facts related to the counting of votes scheduled to be held on 16th May nationwide. He had also inspected the strong room at Jamshedpur Cooperative College along with the candidates and representatives of various political parties.
The DC said photo identity cards will be issued to counting agents in order to allow their entry to the premises of Jamshedpur Cooperative College on the day of counting. No one will be allowed entry without furnishing the identity card at the entrance gate, he said.
In order to gain entry into the vote counting venue, the candidates will have to fill in Form 18 and submit details of their agents. They will also be required to furnish two photographs and identity proof. They will not be allowed to enter with security guards and their agents should be a voter of the same Lok Sabha constituency.
The counting of votes will start at 8 am. There will be 14 tables across which 25 counting personnel will be on duty of counting votes. There will be three counting workers on each table. In each round, votes of 14 booths will be counted.
The result of Baharagora Assembly constituency will come out first due to lowest number of booths here. The counting of votes will take longest time in Jugsalai Assembly constituency where there are 318 booths, the highest among the six Assembly constituencies in East Singhbhum. The counting agents will be selected through randomization. The process will be carried out in three stages.
