Ballot Boxes Guarded Round The Clock Ahead Of Karnataka Council Poll Counting

West Graduates’ Constituency: Counting staff told to ensure transparency

Officials and staff have been deployed round the clock to guard ballot boxes stored at the strongroom set up at the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) in Dharwad ahead of counting on October 27.

Returning Officer for the Karnataka Legislative Council West Graduates’ Constituency election K.M. Janaki has instructed vote-counting supervisors and assistants to maintain transparency and accountability at every stage of the counting process.

Training held for counting personnel

Janaki, who is also Belagavi Regional Commissioner, addressed a training programme for counting personnel at the Farmers Knowledge Centre of the University of Agricultural Sciences in Dharwad on Saturday.

She said establishing transparency and confidence during the first round of counting would help ensure the smooth conduct of the subsequent rounds.

Janaki asked the personnel to take the training seriously, clarify all doubts and compulsorily participate in the practical sessions.

She said the training would be considered complete only after the participants successfully completed the practical exercise.

The instructions were aimed at ensuring that the counting process followed the prescribed rules from the opening round onwards.

Staff told to follow prescribed procedures

Emphasising that the counting staff would work as representatives of the Returning Officer, Janaki asked them to discharge their duties with utmost care and responsibility.

She directed them to strictly follow the Election Commission’s guidelines, rules and legal provisions.

Janaki also cautioned the personnel against negligence that could undermine the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.

She urged them to remain fully committed until the counting process was completed and to set aside sufficient time for the assignment.

Janaki said confidence was essential, but the personnel should not make independent decisions based on overconfidence.

They were asked to follow the prescribed procedures at every stage of the counting process.

Retired tahsildar Shirgaonkar of the Revenue Department imparted the training to the counting supervisors and assistants.

Strongroom under surveillance

Adequate security arrangements have been made around the strongroom at UAS, Dharwad, where the ballot boxes from four districts have been stored.

Officials and staff have been deployed round the clock to guard the ballot boxes of the West Graduates’ Constituency election.

According to Deputy Commissioner Snehal R., the strongroom will remain under surveillance until it is opened for counting on October 27.

Dharwad Deputy Commissioner Snehal R., Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner K. Lakshmi Priya, Gadag Deputy Commissioner C.N. Sridhar and Haveri Deputy Commissioner Vijayamahantesh B. Danammanavar were present at the training programme.

Additional Deputy Commissioners from the four districts, Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Commissioner Rudresh Ghaali, tahsildars and other officials deputed for the counting process also attended the programme.

Source: The Hindu