Political parties and leaders are anxiously awaiting the results of the Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections today. Officials have confirmed that all preparations, including extensive security measures, are in place for the vote counting, which begins at 8 am. In Haryana, 93 counting centers have been set up across 90 assembly constituencies in 22 districts, while heavy security has been deployed at all 20 counting centers and district headquarters in Jammu and Kashmir.
The results come just days after exit polls predicted a Congress resurgence in Haryana and a likely hung assembly in Jammu and Kashmir.
“A three-tier security arrangement has been made at counting venues,” Haryana’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Pankaj Agarwal told PTI on Monday.
The elections in Haryana are the first major direct contest between the BJP and the Congress following the Lok Sabha polls, and the result here would be used by the winner to build a narrative in their favour in other states where polls due over the next few months.
The key parties in the fray are the BJP, the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, INLD-BSP and JJP-Azad Samaj Party.
However, most seats are likely to see a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress.
In an official statement later, CEO Agarwal said 93 counting centres have been set up across 90 assembly constituencies in 22 districts of the state.
Two counting centres each have been set up for the Badshahpur, Gurugram, and Pataudi assembly seats, while one counting centre each has been established for the remaining 87 constituencies To monitor the counting process, 90 counting observers also have been appointed by Election Commission of India, the release said.
Postal ballots will be counted first, followed by the counting of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) after 30 minutes.
Accurate information on each round of counting will be uploaded in a timely manner, the CEO said.
A total of 1,031 candidates, including 464 Independents and 101 women, are in the fray on Haryana’s 90 constituencies which voted in single phase on October 5.
Agarwal said that on the counting day, the strongrooms will be opened in the presence of candidates, their authorised representatives, Returning Officers (ROs)/Assistant Returning Officers (AROs), and ECI observers, with recording of videos.
Mobile phones will not be allowed inside the counting centres, he said.
Shatrujeet Kapur, Director General of Haryana Police, said comprehensive security arrangements have been made for the counting with adequate police personnel deployed at every centre.
A traffic diversion plan has been prepared to manage traffic flow around these centres, Kapur said.
Male and female police officers have been deployed for frisking individuals entering the premises.
Quick Response Teams (QRTs) are also on standby to maintain law and order, DGP Kapur said.
Several exit polls have predicted a Congress victory in Haryana which recorded a voter turnout of 67.90 per cent.
Rejecting the exit poll results, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has claimed his party BJP will form the government for a third time with full majority on October 8.
He said when results are announced on October 8, the Congress will blame EVMs.
On the other hand, Congress leader and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, a frontrunner for the chief minister’s post if his party wins, exuded confidence of a comfortable majority.
On BJP leaders claiming that their party will return to power, Hooda had earlier stated, “What else will BJP say? They will come to know once results are out.”
The INLD-BSP alliance has also claimed that it will form the next government once results are declared, while JJP leader Dushyant Chautala said he his hopeful that his alliance will get good numbers.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal, whose party contested Haryana polls on its own, has been claiming that no government in Haryana can be formed without his party’s support.
Jammu and Kashmir also voted alongside Haryana, but most seats there have witnessed multi-corner contests rather than a direct Congress-BJP fight.
Elections are due in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Delhi in a few months.
Meanwhile, CEO Agarwal said a total of 30 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed at 93 counting centres.
Around 12,000 police personnel are on duty at the counting centres across the state, he said.
Agarwal stated that adequate checkpoints have been set up within a 100-metre perimeter of each counting centre.
CCTV cameras have been installed in all 90 strongrooms where the EVMs are stored to closely monitor all activities.
