This story is from March 19, 2021

Counting of votes under way amid tight security

Counting of votes under way amid tight security
Counting underway at the Indoor Stadium, Saroornagar on Thursday
Hyderabad: The counting of votes for the biennial elections for the two graduates’ MLC constituencies of Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad and Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda was on Thursday videographed and the votes were counted in the presence of micro observers.
As many as 448 officials were deployed at Saroornagar Indoor Stadium for the counting of votes.
Each chamber had one assistant returning officer and the votes were being counted in eight counting chambers.

The counting staff was seen wearing masks inside the polling center while armed security personnel of the special police guarded the premises. The compound of the premises along with the entrance was also guarded by special armed forces and law and order police.
Police personnel accompanied the staff who entered the chambers in shifts. The surrounding areas were patrolled by the police. Police personnels were also working in shifts and set up camps at several places inside the stadium.
The stadium was illuminated and power back-up was provided with the help of generators.
By 7 pm three rounds of counting was completed and TRS's Surabhi Vani Devi was leading.
The votes were spread across the 56 tables located in eight counting chambers. Per table, 1,000 votes were counted. Only after the set of 1,000 votes were counted in all the tables, the new set of 1,000 votes per table were placed. Each ballot box had a separate number. “All the guidelines by the Election Commission of India (ECI) were followed, Covid-19 norms were also followed,” said a Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) official appointed as nodal officer for MLC election.
A candidate should get at least 50% of valid votes and one extra vote to be declared the winner. If none of the candidates get 50% votes, second preference votes will be taken into consideration. On Thursday, only the counting of first priority votes were underway till 10 pm.
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