West Graduates’ Constituency: Counting staff told to ensure transparency

Returning Officer for the Karnataka Legislative Council West Graduates’ Constituency election K.M. Janaki has urged vote-counting supervisors and assistants to ensure transparency and accountability at every stage of the counting process.

Addressing a training programme for counting personnel at the Farmers Knowledge Centre of University of Agricultural Sciences in Dharwad on Saturday, Ms. Janaki, who is also Belagavi Regional Commissioner, said establishing transparency and confidence during the first round of counting would help ensure the smooth conduct of subsequent rounds.

She asked the personnel to take the training seriously, clarify all doubts and compulsorily participate in the practical sessions. The training would be considered complete only after they successfully completed the practical exercise, she said.

Emphasising that the counting staff would be working as representatives of the Returning Officer, Ms. Janaki asked them to discharge their duties with utmost care and responsibility. They should strictly follow the Election Commission’s guidelines, rules and legal provisions, and avoid any negligence that could undermine the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.

She also urged the personnel to remain fully committed until the counting process was completed and set aside sufficient time for the assignment. While confidence was essential, they should not make independent decisions based on overconfidence and should follow the prescribed procedures at every stage, she said.

Retired tahsildar Shirgaonkar of the Revenue Department imparted the training to the counting supervisors and assistants.

Dharwad Deputy Commissioner Snehal R., Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner K. Lakshmi Priya, Gadag Deputy Commissioner C.N. Sridhar and Haveri Deputy Commissioner Vijayamahantesh B. Danammanavar were present. Additional Deputy Commissioners from the four districts, Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Commissioner Rudresh Ghaali, tahsildars and other officials deputed for the counting process also attended the programme.

Meanwhile, adequate security arrangements have been made around the strongroom set up at UAS, Dharwad, where the ballot boxes from four districts have been stored.

Officials and staff have been deployed round the clock to guard ballot boxes of the West Graduates’ Constituency election. The strongroom will remain under surveillance until it is opened for counting on October 27, according to Deputy Commissioner Snehal R.