West Bengal Assembly polls | State gears up for counting across 108 centres
The Election Commission of India has made elaborate preparations for counting of votes for West Bengal Assembly election on Sunday. There are 108 counting centres across the State the place counting will begin at 8 a.m. Across these centres, counting shall be carried out in over 700 halls.
The Election Commission has specified seven tables for smaller counting halls, and up to solely 14 tables in greater halls for counting of the votes polled within the EVMs.
Counting shall be held for elections on 292 of the 294 seats to resolve the destiny of two,116 candidates. Elections to 2 seats — Shamsherganj and Jangipur in Murshidabad district — has been postponed following the demise of candidates. Elections to the 292 Assembly seats across 23 districts of West Bengal have been held in eight phases across from March 27 to April 29.
The ECI has made preparations for a three-tier safety at every of 108 counting centres. The premises shall be guarded by personnel of the West Bengal police and central armed police forces. Every counting agent has to supply a COVID-19 detrimental certificates earlier than getting into the counting centres. About 30% of counting workers have been stored as reserve. ECI officers stated that contemplating the COVID outbreak, this yr there are extra EVMs and counting centres and the announcement of outcomes could also be delayed.
Even hours earlier than the counting begins, experiences of sporadic violence have been acquired. Supporters of Trinamool Congress and BJP clashed at Katwa in Bardhaman. At Narendrapur in State’s South 24 Parganas, two personnel of the bomb disposal squad sustained severe accidents whereas diffusing crude bombs. The bombs have been being carried in an ambulance and intercepted by locals.