New counting process may delay results

New Delhi: There is a change in the counting process that may slow down the final result declaration for Uttar Pradesh.

More stringent measures have been put in place which may result in a delay in announcing the final results on Friday.

For this election, the counting staff in the state were given their specific tables at only 0500 hrs IST on Friday - just two hours before the counting was slated to begin.

This is the first time something like this has happened, because earlier, the counting staff used to be given their tables at least a day in advance.

Also, earlier, each of the 14 counting tables used to get one Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). Each was tabulated and noted down on a form, which was then passed on to the returning officer for compilation and a final check.

As each table finished their machine, they used to handed over the next EVM.

This year though, a fresh EVM will not be given for counting till each of the 14 counting staff have finished the tabulation process of their respective EVMs.

Also, returning officers and observers will walk up to two randomly selected two tables each, and physically verify the correctness of the counting process.

Each UP Assembly is expected to have at least 15 to 16 rounds of counting. Some will go up to even 25 to 30 rounds.