Over 2,000 personnel deployed for counting of votes in Mizoram

Aizawl: More than 2,000 personnel would be deployed for counting of votes for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Mizoram, a senior official said on Monday.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Madhup Vyas said a three-tier security arrangement has been made in all the 13 counting centres across the state.

There would be three counting centres in state capital Aizawl and one each in the other district headquarters, he said.

Altogether, there would be 40 counting halls with 379 counting tables. Each table would be supervised and monitored by a counting supervisor, counting agent and micro observer, he said.

The counting of votes would begin at 8 am on Tuesday, and postal ballots would be counted first, followed by votes cast in the EVMs, Vyas said.

There were five assembly segments where five rounds of counting would be held, four rounds of counting would be held in 15 assembly segments, three rounds in 18 assembly segments, and two rounds of counting would take place in two assembly segments, he said.

Media centres have been set up at all the counting venues to ensure seamless distribution of information regarding election results to the public, the CEO said.

Mizoram has only one Lok Sabha seat and 56.6 per cent of over 8.56 lakh voters exercised their franchise in the Lok Sabha polls held on April 19.

Although there were six candidates, it is believed that the fight would be mainly among ZPM, MNF and Congress.

The ruling Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) had nominated debutant Richard Vanlalhmangaiha, while the main opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) had fielded sitting Rajya Sabha member K Vanlalvena.

The Congress had fielded former state home secretary Lalbiakzam, also a newbie in politics.