Counting to begin at 8am

Centre alerts states

EVM control room

VVPAT

count to delay results

EC assures voters

Security tightened at counting centres across the country

Highest ever-voter turnout

NEW DELHI: The stage is set for the counting of votes in 542 Lok Sabha constituencies on Thursday as opposition parties mounted vigil around the counting centres across India where the electronic voting machines (EVMs) are being kept in strong rooms.Most exit polls have predicted a comfortable majority for the BJP-led NDA whose campaign was spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The opposition, however, has rejected the exit polls, calling them wrong and erroneous.The counting exercise will begin at 8am, capping a two-month long election process which witnessed high-octane campaigning and charges of tampering EVMs and violations of the Model Code of Conduct ( MCC ). Trends are expected to be available shortly thereafter.However, the results this time are likely to be delayed due to tallying of VVPATs with EVM count for the first time.Counting of votes will also take place for four state assemblies - Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh - which went to polls along with the general elections.A day before counting of votes for the Lok Sabha polls, the Union home ministry on Wednesday alerted all states and Union Territories on the possibility of violence in different parts of the country, saying calls were given in various quarters for inciting violence.In a statement, the ministry also said it has asked the states and UTs to maintain law and order, peace and public tranquillity."The home ministry has alerted the state chief secretaries and directors general of police regarding possibility of eruption of violence in different parts of the country in connection with the counting of votes tomorrow," the statement said.A 24-hour EVM Control Room has been made functional at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi to monitor complaints relating to EVMs.Any complaints on counting day related to EVMs can be put forth at the control room. Their number is 011-23052123.This assumes significance as opposition parties have been raising questions over the alleged tampering of the voting machinesThe EC said, strongrooms have been designed to keep sealed EVMs and Voter-verified paper audit trails (VVPATs) in the presence of candidates and observers of the commission. These rooms are absolutely safe and the entire process of sealing and storage is videotaped by the officials.As per the EC's directives, five polling stations per assembly segment will be selected on a random basis for verification of VVPAT slips. The verification process of VVPATs may take four to five hours.With VVPAT counting to be introduced in this Lok Sabha election, the results are likely to get delayed by five to six hours, Delhi chief electoral officer Ranbir Singh said. He said after the EVM counting is over, the VVPATs will be counted as per the Supreme Court guidelines.The counting process and announcement of results are expected to be delayed by several hours this time as the outcomes of five assembly segments per Lok Sabha constituency will be tallied with VVPAT slips, an Election Commission release said, quoting Jharkhand chief electoral officer L Khiangte.With the voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPATs) to be counted in five polling booths picked at random from each of the 90 assembly segments of Haryana, the announcement of results for the 10 Lok Sabha seats is likely to be delayed.The Election Commission assured all the electors of the country that the entire counting, especially the guarding of strong rooms and counting centres, is already being done in an absolutely fair and transparent manner.The commission's assurance came as it rejected the demand of 22 political parties for counting of VVPATs slips before the commencement of counting of votes polled in EVMs saying that accepting the request "was neither possible nor feasible".A delegation of 22 political parties had met the full Election Commission on Tuesday with the request.The poll panel is keeping a close watch on the counting centres across the country. Ahead of the counting process, a three-tier security system was put in place at the EVM strong rooms and the counting process will be carried out under CCTV surveillance.On Thursday, there will be a three-tier security in place with the outer cordon beginning 100 metres away from the counting centre, middle layer at the entrance followed by the inner layer, said a senior police officer.Over 22,000 police personnel will be deployed in Kerala on Thursday, police said. The chief electoral officer Teeka Ram Meena had said the police has identified 4,482 sensitive polling stations in the state.Haryana's joint chief electoral officer, Inder Jeet, said, "All arrangements, including those pertaining to security, have been put in place." Additional director general of police (law and order) Navdeep Singh Virk said a three-layered security cover has been put in place at the counting centres.The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections commenced on April 11 and the last phase of voting was held on May 19. The dates were announced by the EC on March 10, following which the MCC had come into effect.67.11 per cent of the 90.99 crore electors had cast their vote in the seven phase elections. This is the highest ever-voter turnout in Indian parliamentarian elections.Over 8,000 candidates were in the fray for 542 Lok Sabha seats across the country.Among the keenly watched constituencies will be Varanasi from where Prime Minister Modi is seeking re-election and Amethi represented by Congress president Rahul Gandhi since 2004. Rahul is also contesting from Wayanad in Kerala. The Congress president's mother Sonia Gandhi is also seeking another term from Rae Bareli.