Thaindian News

Hyderabad, July 29 (IANS) Counting of votes in the by-elections to 12 assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh’s Telangana region will be taken up Friday.
The state’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) I.V. Subba Rao said all arrangements were made for counting of votes, which will start 8 a.m. The first result is expected by 11 am.

Since polling in five of the 12 constituencies were held through ballot papers, the last result is expected by 6 p.m. The results from seven constituencies, where electronic voting machines (EVMs) were used, are likely to be announced in the initial two to three hours.

According to the CEO, 66.67 percent of 23.60 lakh voters cast their votes in the elections held on Tuesday. Since the Election Commission received no complaint of rigging or other electoral malpractices from any of the constituencies, no re-polling was required in any polling station.

The by-elections were necessitated by the resignations of all 10 legislators of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and one each of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on the issue of separate Telangana state early this year.

As many as 435 candidates are in the fray for the by-elections, seen as a referendum on the issue of separate Telangana state.

The election authorities have made elaborate arrangements for counting of votes at seven counting centres spread over five districts. No mobile phones would be allowed inside the centres.

Arrangements have been made for recording the entire counting process. The CEO said tight security arrangements were made at strong rooms where EVMs and ballot boxes were kept after the polling. Officials have installed CCTVs in the strong rooms with monitors kept outside for the polling agents to keep a watch.