All set for counting: 81 centres, multi-layer security

A total of 851 candidates — 771 men and 80 women — were in the fray in the elections in Uttar Pradesh, with the maximum 28 in the Ghosi Lok Sabha constituency and the minimum four in Kaiserganj.

A total of 179 observers have been deployed. There are 80 Returning Officers and 1581 Assistant Returning Officers for the counting process.

Fifteen of the observers have been allotted one assembly constituency each, 104 have been given the responsibility of two assembly constituencies each and the rest 60 have been allotted three Assembly segments each.

Two counting centres have been set up each in Agra, Meerut, Azamgarh, Deoria, Sitapur and Kushinagar districts.
The Sahibabad Assembly segment in the Ghaziabad Lok Sabha constituency has had a maximum of 1,127 polling stations, and the counting of votes polled there be completed in maximum 41 rounds, he said.

Votes will counted for Assembly bypolls in Lucknow East, Dadraul (in Shahjahanpur), Gainsari (in Balrampur) and Duddhi (ST-reserved) Assembly seat in Sonbhadra district.

The counting of votes for Assembly bypolls will be conducted by four Returning Officers and 26 Assistant Returning Officers. All counting and sealing proceedings will be conducted under CCTV surveillance.

A three-tier security system, complete with paramilitary forces, has been deployed to ensure smooth conduct of counting. The first layer of security will be at a radius of 100 metres from the counting venue, where the local police force will be deployed. The second layer will be at the gate of the counting venue, where the state police force will be deployed. The third layer will be for the counting hall which will be under the supervision of Central Armed Police Forces.