The Election Commission has issued instructions that police personnel—whether in uniform or in plainclothes—should not be allowed inside vote counting rooms. Police may enter only if the Returning Officer specifically calls them, the directive said.
Polling for the Tamil Nadu Assembly election was held on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4. Counting is set to begin at 8.00 am, while staff assigned to the process have been asked to report at the counting centre by 5.00 am.
Only designated counting supervisors, micro-observers and assistants are to be permitted inside the counting room. In addition, Election Commission-authorised persons, those connected with election duties, candidates and their agents are allowed.
The Returning Officer has been instructed to display round-wise vote details for candidates on a blackboard and communicate the outcome of each round to the media. If the victory margin is smaller than the number of postal ballots received, postal ballots may be recounted.
After the final round of counting, five polling stations’ VVPAT units in each constituency must be selected through a draw, and the paper slips inside them should be verified, the Commission said.
