Counting of Votes for Damoh Bypoll to be Held with Covid-19 Protocol on May 2

Counting of votes for the Damoh Assembly bypoll will be taken up as per the COVID-19 protocol on Sunday, a senior official said on Saturday. The main contest lies between Ajay Tandon of the Congress and Rahul Lodhi of the BJP.

“Counting of votes will begin at 8 am at the government polytechnic college building in Damoh as per the directives of the Election Commission regarding the COVID-19 protocol,” district collector and returning officer Tarun Rathi told reporters. A total of 14 tables are placed in four rooms for counting of votes, he said, adding COVID-19 tests of officials and employees involved in the process were conducted on Saturday.

Candidates and their polling booth agents were also tested for coronavirus, he added. Rathi said the results of the bypoll are expected to be out by afternoon but victory processions are not allowed.

About 60 per cent of registered voters had exercised their franchise in the bypoll held on April17. The bypoll became necessary due to the resignation of sitting Congress MLA Rahul Lodhi who had defected to the BJP.

Read all the Latest News and Breaking News here