Security beefed up at counting centres

Mandi: District Returning officer-cum- Mandi Deputy Commissioner Rugved Thakur said all arrangements had been made for the counting of votes, which would begin at 8 am.“EVM machines have been brought to counting centres to avoid any delay in starting the counting process on Thursday morning. In Lahaul-Spiti, the EVM machines from Kaza have been airlifted to the district headquarters, Keylong, for counting”, he added.  The DC said the counting centres had been set up at different locations in Mandi, Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti. However, total number of votes would be compiled in Mandi. He said to maintain law and order situation, adequate police force would be deployed at the counting centres to avoid any untoward incident. The 17 candidates of Mandi parliamentary constituency have been having sleepless nights since May 19. However, after exit poll, BJP candidate Ram Swaroop Sharma was upbeat, while other candidates were disappointed. Now, they were waiting desperately for Thursday to get the final result details. TNS

Preparations afoot in Chamba 

Chamba: The district administration is all set for the counting of votes in five assembly constituencies of Chamba district, which is a part of the Kangra Lok Sabha constituency, on Thursday. The five Assembly constituencies are Churah (SC), Bharmour (ST), Chamba, Dalhousie and Bhattiyat. The counting will start at 8 am at the counting centre on the premises of Government Millennium Polytechnic Institute at Sarol near the district headquarter town of Chamba for which all preparations, including the security arrangements, have been made. A rehearsal programme for the counting staff was carried out at the venue on Wednesday.  DEO-cum-DC of Chamba Harikesh Meena and general observer of the Lok Sabha elections Swarup Kumar Pal were present on the occasion. The DEO said 250 poll officials, including poll counting supervisors, counting assistants and micro observers, had been appointed for the exercise. OC