Thiruvananthapuram, June 21 (UNI) The vote counting for the Nilambur Assembly constituency by-election will take place on June 23.

The strong room will be opened at 7.30 am in the presence of the candidates' agents, and the counting of votes will begin at 8 am.

Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala Dr Ratan U Kelkar said, "19 rounds of counting will be held across 14 tables. 5 tables have been set up for counting postal ballots, including ETBS. The postal ballots will be counted first.

After this, the electronic votes will be counted."

The counting of votes will be done entirely in the presence of the observer appointed by the election commission and the candidates or their agents.

Micro observers and AROs have been appointed to monitor the counting of votes. The number of VVPAT slips in the five selected booths will be compared with the votes in the Electronic Voting Machines in the said booths to ensure its accuracy.

The Chief Electoral Officer also said that the electronic voting machines used in the by election are secured in a strong room set up at Chungathara Marthoma Higher Secondary School under tight security 24x7 by both the Central Armed Police Force and the State Armed Police.

UNI DS ARN