Election Commission directs officials engaged in counting need not be in haste or hurry to declare results

Election Commission has directed that officials engaged in counting need not be in haste or hurry to declare results and they should follow all procedures and take time as naturally required.

Briefing media on Tuesday evening, Secretary General of the Election Commission Umesh Sinha said, counting of the Bihar Assembly election is underway very smoothly but it will take some time due to the protocols for the Covid-19 pandemic. He said, the results have started coming but full results may come by late tonight. Mr Sinha said, all electoral arrangements have been made to maintain norms like social distancing. He said, the emphasis of the Commission is that procedures and guidelines relating to counting and COVID19 are sincerely followed.

Deputy Election Commissioner Ashish Kundra said, As far as Bihar is concerned, on the whole 7 thousand 7 hundred 37 scheduled rounds were there, of which 4 thousand 8 hundred 58 have been completed. He said, 119 constituencies have done more than half of the work which was there for counting. Mr Kundra said, 18 constituencies have less than one thousand margin, 50 constituencies have one thousand to 5 thousand margin and 67 constituencies have 5 thousand to 10 thousand margin.

Deputy Election Commissioner Chandra Bhushan Kumar said, almost two-third votes have been counted which is 2.74 crore votes out of 4.11 crore votes. Mr Kumar rejected an allegation that postal ballot counting was stopped in between.