Ensuring transparency and fairness of the election process is the priority of the Commission: State Election Commissioner Ajay Singh
General/By-elections of Municipalities 2025
Meeting held through video conferencing regarding pre-counting preparations
Deputy District Election Officers and Returning Officers of all districts participated
Nava Raipur, Dated 13 February 2025: Special preparations are being made by the Chhattisgarh State Election Commission to ensure smooth conduct of the counting process of Municipal Corporation General and By-elections 2025. An important meeting was held through video conferencing at the Commission Office, Nava Raipur under the guidance of State Election Commissioner Ajay Singh. Deputy District Election Officers and Returning Officers of all districts participated in this meeting. The objective of the meeting was to review the necessary preparations before counting, give necessary guidelines to make the counting process fair and transparent and discuss the possible challenges. In the meeting, there was an in-depth discussion on the nuances of the counting process, security management, technical support and ensuring transparency. The State Election Commission gave strict instructions to the officials that the counting process should be kept free from any kind of hindrance and fairness should be given priority.
The State Election Commission has instructed all the officers to strictly follow the rules of the election process and ensure smooth arrangements. Be fully prepared to avoid any kind of disturbance and play an important role in conducting fair and free elections. The Election Commission emphasized on giving proper training to the counting personnel, so that they can conduct all the technical processes correctly. Instructions were given for strict security arrangements at the counting centers. So that any unpleasant situation can be dealt with. Chhattisgarh State Election Commission Secretary Dr. Sarveshwar Narendra Bhure said that the legal provisions and the instructions of the State Election Commission should be followed in letter and spirit in any process of election.
He said that the counting of EDB will be done on the table of the Returning Officer. The counting will be done first for the post of Mayor / Chairman and then ward wise (starting from Ward No. 1). All the action will be done in the presence of the candidates or agents of the post / ward for which the ballot papers are being opened. The officers present in the meeting were told that the counting of votes of all the polling stations of a ward will be done on the same table. If the number of polling stations is more, a maximum of two tables can be set up with the permission of the commission. But counting will be done station-wise, one by one, and not all machines will be included in the counting at once. If a machine is changed during voting at a polling station, then all the machines of that station will be counted in one round. If more than one EVM has been used at a polling station, then all the machines (CU) will be given together in the respective round and they will be counted in the same round. In any case, machines of the next round will be brought for counting only after all the machines of one round have been removed.
