Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (MSP)
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje

Mangalore, May 24: Addressing the media on Friday May 23, district deputy commissioner Maheshwar Rao (EO), who is also the election officer, informed that counting of the votes in respect of  the eight assembly  constituencies in the district will start at 8 am on Sunday May 25 at Canara College here. All the results are expected to be announced by 1 pm on that day.

He added that in tune with the election commission's directives, nobody except the EO can carry cell phones to the counting centre. Postal ballots will be the first votes to be counted in front of the EO. Counting in respect of Mangalore City South, Bantwal and Sullia constituencies will be conducted in Canara First Grade College, with the remaining five being counted at the centre set up at Canara Pre-university College.

The number of tables earmarked for each constituency is as follows : Beltangady - 10, Moodbidri - 10, Mangalore North - 12, Mangalore - 12, Puttur - 10, Mangalore City South - 10, Bantwal - 10 and Sullia - 10. Each table will be provided with a supervisor, counting assistants and an additional counting assistant. The observers posted will check the controlling units of the electronic voting machines randomly after each round of counting.

Carrying things like cigarettes, bidis, match boxes etc to the counting centre is banned. Traffic on Jail Road has been prohibited during the counting, and only election officials, agents, candidates and media members having passes will be allowed entry into the centre, Rao explained.

Parking

Parking arrangements have been made in the compound of the College of Education for the vehicles of the officers and other staff associated with the counting work. Vehicles of the candidates, election agents and counting agents will have to be parked in the space in front of T A Pai Convention Centre, the Rao informed.

After each round of counting, the results will be announced through the internet. Arrangements have been made to obtain information from each counting room online and transmit the same immediately, the DC said.

Prohibitory Orders

Prohibitory orders under section 144 have been clamped in the district from 6 am on Saturday May 24 till the midnight on May 26, under which crowding, taking out victory rallies etc have been banned. Sale of liquor has also been banned from 6 am on May 24 to midnight on May 25, he added.