All eyes on Vellore as LS poll result to be out today

So, all eyes will be on Vellore as the counting of votes for Lok Sabha poll is set to take place on Friday. The first trends are likely to be out by 11 am.

More than 370 officials would be deployed to count 10,24,352 votes that were cast on August 5. The process is expected to begin at 8 am at a private engineering college near Wallajahpet toll plaza and representatives of political parties have been asked to be present at the counting centre 30 minutes before the commencement of the process, officials said.

Postal ballots would be counted first followed by EVMs. Each assembly segment would be provided 14 tables. Except Vaniyambadi segment, the others (Vellore, Anaicut, KV Kuppam, Ambur and Gudiyattam) would go through 24 rounds of counting, officials added. In the evening, verification of VVPAT slips with the EVM count would be done.

A supervisor, a micro observer and an assistant would monitor the proceedings in each table, officials added.

The poll, which was earlier scheduled for April 18, was rescinded by the EC following the seizure of large sums. The fate of 28 candidates, including New Justice Party (NJP) founder A C Shanmugham, who is contesting on an AIADMK ticket representing the NDA and Kathir Anand of the Opposition DMK-alliance, would be decided on Friday.

Though both the AIADMK and the DMK forged mega alliances for the Lok Sabha polls, none of the alliance party leaders, including the BJP, DMDK, PMK, TMC and PT campaigned for Shanmugham, while top alliance party leaders from MDMK, CPI, CPM and Congress addressed an election meeting on the last day of campaign in support of Kathir Anand.

The DMK-led front swept the Lok Sabha polls by winning 37 of the 38 seats and 13 of the 22 Assembly seats, while the AIADMK won one LS seat and nine Assembly seats, that ensured its stability.