Chandigarh, October 11
Polling is only a day away and the Election Commission of India (ECI) is still undecided about the number of counting centres to be set up for the assembly elections in Haryana.
Even as the 90 seats go to polls on October 13, the ECI is still to make up its mind on whether it wants to depart from convention and fix the counting centres at 40 or follow past procedures and hold counting at 90 centres.
This indecisiveness, however, is weighing heavy on the minds of the District Magistrates who are the District Electoral Officers (DEOs) during the elections and ultimately are responsible for the conduct of the elections on ground.
Sources said unlike previous elections when the issue of counting centres was settled nearly a month in advance, the ECI seems in no hurry to give its verdict, keeping the DEOs on tenterhooks.
“Initially, as per instructions from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, we gave our requirement of counting centres, seeking one counting centre for each assembly segment. However, nearly 10 days ago, we were told that the ECI had approved only 40 counting centres and that we were to send a fresh requirement by clubbing two to three assembly segments together,” explains an officer.
In compliance with the order, the district authorities worked out the requirement of the staff and cops and identified a “suitable venue” to accommodate two assembly segments and sent it.
A week ago, the CEC telephonically issued instructions for the third time that the ECI had agreed to set up 90 counting centres. That, however, is not the end, for yesterday, the DEOs were conveyed, telephonically again, that the 90-counting-centre plan had been shelved and the DEOs should be ready to conduct counting at 40 centres.
Another officer adds, “Now, polling parties have been assigned duties, control room numbers set up and the venue finalised. This last-minute change is only likely to add to the confusion since we will have to issue verbal instructions. This business of counting should have been best left to the DEOs.”
The DEOs also apprehend a law and order problem if the counting for seats is clubbed since it would mean a greater number of candidates and a larger number of supporters present at the same time and at the same venue. Then, there are districts where there is hardly a suitable place available to accommodate a crowd.
Chief Electoral Officer Sajjan Singh confirmed that there was some confusion about the counting centres. “This is because the ECI, for the first time, wants to deploy central forces instated of the state armed police. Obviously, there numbers are smaller compared to the state police which is why the number of counting centres needs to be shrunk. We will decide by tomorrow,” he said.
