How Many Agents Can Be Present At Vote Counting?

All eyes are on June 4 to know the results. Besides the Lok Sabha elections, the results will be announced for the general elections too. By evening we will get clarity on who comes to power and who gets to serve as the opposition party. There is a huge buzz around the election result.

We see election agents at the booths and people have a few doubts about how many agents will be allowed at the booth. Let us get some information on this based on the thoughts of experts on the issue.

Experts say that a counting hall will be set up in every constituency and counting tables will be set up. However, it's the call of the officials to decide on how many tables there should be in the hall. Based on that the tables should be arranged as part of counting

The candidates can have one agent for every table. For example, say there are 14 tables in a hall and the candidate can have 14 agents one for every table. Besides them, the returning officers should place additional agents.

The returning agent should appoint one agent at a table and counting agents to examine the postal ballots. With this, the number of agents at the counting might change based on the candidates' count in the seat.

Though the agents will be allowed they cannot approach the EVMs and they cannot operate them. There will be barricades around the EVMs. On the other hand, all the arrangements will be made for the agents and the candidates can select the agents at the booths. However, the government employees cannot be the agents.