Kolkata: The Election Commission on Thursday further reduced the number of counting centres in West Bengal ahead of the counting of votes. Two weeks ago, the number had been reduced from 108 to 87. After the two-phase Assembly polls, the Commission has now brought down the number of counting centres in the state to 77.
On Thursday, the office of the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) informed that votes for all 294 Assembly constituencies will be counted at 77 centres across the state. The district-wise list of counting centres has been published, along with the addresses of each centre.
In the 2016 Assembly elections, votes were counted at 90 centres in the state. The number of counting centres was increased to 108 in the 2021 Assembly elections. On April 17, the Commission reduced the number to 87, and it has now been further reduced to 77.
The Trinamool Congress on Thursday questioned the decision to rearrange the counting centres ahead of the counting process. State Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agrawal said that the number of counting centres can be reduced even further than 77 if required.
He said: “We are examining the situation. A decision will be taken after that.”
According to district-wise figures, there will be one counting centre in Alipurduar, three in Bankura, three in Birbhum, five in Cooch Behar, two in South Dinajpur, three in Darjeeling, five in Hooghly, four in Howrah, two in Jalpaiguri, one in Jhargram, one in Kalimpong, five in Kolkata (one in north Kolkata and four in south Kolkata), two in Malda, five in Murshidabad, four in Nadia, seven in North 24 Parganas, two in West Burdwan, three in West Midnapore, four in East Burdwan, four in East Midnapore, three in Purulia, six in South 24 Parganas, and two in North Dinajpur district.
There will be five counting centres for the 11 Assembly constituencies in Kolkata. Counting of votes will be held on Monday at Baba Saheb Ambedkar Education University on Ballygunge Circular Road, Ballygunge Government High School, Netaji Indoor Stadium, Shakhawat Memorial School, and St Thomas Boys’ School on Diamond Harbour Road.
The state has the highest number of Assembly constituencies in North 24 Parganas, where votes for 33 seats will be counted at seven centres. These include Barasat Government High School, Basirhat High School, Basirhat Polytechnic College, Bidhannagar College, Deenabandhu Mahavidyalaya in Bangaon, Guru Nanak College campus in Panihati, and Rashtraguru Surendranath College in Barrackpore.
Votes for 31 seats in South 24 Parganas will be counted at six centres — APC Roy Polytechnic College in Jadavpur, Bankim Sardar College in Canning, Diamond Harbour Women’s University, Biharilal College in Alipore, Hastings House complex, and Sundarbans College in Kakdwip.
Counting of five seats in Alipurduar will be conducted at Alipurduar University. Counting of seven seats in Jalpaiguri will take place at two centres — North Bengal University’s second campus and Parimal Mitra Smriti College. Counting of one seat in Kalimpong will be conducted at Scottish Universities Mission Institution. Counting of four seats in Jhargram will take place at Rani Indira Devi Government School.
(IANS)
