Odisha bypolls: Vote counting tomorrow amid COVID-19 restrictions

Bhubaneswar: The vote counting of bypolls held to two assembly seats — Balasore and Tirtol– is scheduled to take place tomorrow amid tight security and COVID-19 restrictions.

The counting will begin at 8.00 am tomorrow at Balasore Collectorate and the SVM College in Jagatsinghpur, informed CEO Odisha Sushil Lohani today.

The vote counting will be conducted with strict adherence to COVID-19 rules. In view of the pandemic, arrangements have been made for the officials engaged in counting accordingly.

“There will be 3 counting halls for counting and each room has 7 tables instead of 14 tables. Three AROs will be deployed for Balasore counting whereas 2 AROs have been assigned for Tirtol bypoll. The postal ballots will be counted the first and the votes sealed in the EVMs will be counted from 8.30 onwards,” the CEO told media.

The officials will begin the counting by wearing face masks, face shields, sanitizing the hands. The results will be out every round on ECI website.

Due to COVID-19, media will be allowed for coverage of results by dividing themselves in small groups.

The bye-elections to Balasore and Tirtol Assembly seats were conducted on November 3.