Jharkhand Vote Counting: Torpa result to come first, Chatra last

Outcome clear in all seats before 5 pm

Ranchi, November 22: Counting of votes for 81 assembly seats in Jharkhand will start at 8 am and the first trend is expected by 9.15 am. The election result for Torpa assembly seat of Khunti district is expected to come out first, while the result for Chatra seat will come last.

According to the Election Commission, counting of votes in Torpa assembly constituency will end in 13 rounds. While the result of Chatra assembly constituency will come after the 27th round. The maximum number of tables have been set up in Bokaro, 30 tables have been set up for counting of votes here. While 14-14 tables have been set up in 14 areas.

Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer K. Ravi Kumar told media on Friday that preparations have been completed for the counting of votes to be held on November 23. Extensive arrangements have been made for counting of votes at all counting centers. Separate counting supervisors have been appointed for each assembly constituency. The final election results are expected before 5 pm. However, preparations are on to complete the entire counting process by 4 pm.

The Chief Election Officer said that to ensure fair counting of postal ballots, each table will be headed by an assistant returning officer. He said that the counting of postal ballots will start at 8 am first. The results will start coming in at 9-9.15 am.

The Chief Election Officer said that this time there was no re-poll at any of the 29563 polling stations in Jharkhand. The coordinated efforts of the Indian Air Force, Border Security Force and Airports Authority of India helped in taking and bringing back polling personnel and security forces to the farthest corners of the state.

Ravi Kumar said that this time in Jharkhand, 1.8 lakh officers-employees and voters above 85 years of age used postal ballots. Apart from this, ETPBS was sent to more than 44 thousand voters.

He said that no one other than DEO and RO is allowed to carry mobile inside the counting centre. Entry of any policeman in the counting hall will be prohibited. Journalists will be able to carry mobile phones till the media centre. Cameras will be allowed to take pictures inside the counting hall only once under the supervision of officials. He said that the lesser the number of counting rounds in an assembly constituency, the sooner its result will come. He said that Torpa assembly constituency will have the least number of counting rounds i.e. 13. Littipara will also have only 14 rounds of counting. Chatra assembly constituency will have the maximum number of counting rounds i.e. 27.

In response to a question, he said that the voters of the state, candidates and political parties respect the law, so the possibility of clashes regarding victory processions etc. is negligible. But, the local administration is prepared to maintain law and order.

He said that the election process has to be completed by November 25, but our effort is to complete the process by November 24 only.