SOPs to slow down vote counting on May 2

“The election commission has already issued a standard operating procedure for poll officials and all biosecurity measures will be ensured in all 75 counting stations across the State,” Chief Electoral Officer Sathyabrata Sahoo told DT Next. 

The votes were counted in Bihar when the State had 12,000 positive cases and based on that experience, the commission had drafted medical recommendations and we will adhere to the SOPs. All counting tables be set up at a six-feet distance. Gloves, sanitisers, face masks and adequate ventilation will be in place, Sahoo said. 

Usually, 14 tables are arranged for each constituency and if there is adequate space, district election officers can set up more tables to reduce the counting time. With daily cases inching close to 8,000, Collectors have also been briefed to check the temperature of the staff to be deployed for counting. With police assistance, the crowd will be managed. 

A total of 88,937 polling booths were set up on April 6 and the counting will also be taken up for the Kanniyakumari district where a Lok Sabha seat is vacant. A total of 3,998 candidates are in the fray.