Preparations for counting the votes for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections are in full swing, with a three-tier security setup in place, according to Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik. The counting process will commence at 8 a.m. with postal ballots, followed by Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) votes at 8.30 a.m. across 62 designated counting centers in the state.
The polling for the 234 Assembly constituencies took place on April 23 in a fiercely contested electoral battle, with the ruling DMK vying to maintain power and the AIADMK eyeing a return after five years in the opposition. The electoral scenario has been further complicated by the entry of actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and the presence of Seeman-led Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK).
To ensure a smooth and transparent process, a significant deployment of nearly 1.25 lakh personnel, including counting staff, micro-observers, and security forces, has been arranged. Approximately one lakh police personnel will be involved in maintaining law and order during the counting process.
Authorities have established 234 counting halls for EVM votes and an additional 240 halls for postal ballots and Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballots (ETPBs). A total of 3,324 counting tables will be utilized for the process, overseen by Returning Officers (ROs) assisted by Assistant Returning Officers (AROs).
