Sikkim: Namchi administration holds pre-vote counting meeting, warns officials of severe consequences for errors

A coordination meeting was convened at the Conference Hall of the District Administrative Centre in Namchi, spearheaded by Ms. Annapurna Alley, the District Collector and District Election Officer (DC/DEO) of Namchi. The meeting aimed to streamline and ensure the efficiency of the upcoming counting process for the election results.

The meeting saw the presence of key officials including Mr. Anant Jain, Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Namchi, Mr. Sunil Mothey, Additional District Collector (Development), Mr. Gopal K Chettri, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Headquarters), Mr. Saran D Kalikotey, SDM of Namchi, Mr. Tshering Norgyal Theengh, SDM of Yangyang, Mr. Sisum Wangchuk Bhutia, SDM of Ravangla, and other officials including Rajani Sharma, SDM of Namthang, Monica Rai, SDM of Jorethang, Bhumika Chettri, Deputy Secretary of Elections, and all Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) involved in the process.

Ms. Annapurna Alley, in her address, emphasized the critical nature of their duties and urged all officials to approach their responsibilities with utmost sincerity and dedication. She sternly warned against any discrepancies or negligence during the counting process, stating that any such lapses would lead to severe actions as per the Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines.

Mr. Anant Jain, ADM of Namchi, provided detailed insights into the roles and responsibilities of Returning Officers (ROs), Assistant ROs (AROs), and counting officials involved in the process. His briefing aimed to ensure clarity and effective execution of duties during the crucial counting phase.

Further guidance and directives were provided by Mr. Sunil Mothey, ADC (Development), who reiterated the importance of dedication and adherence to prescribed procedures throughout the counting process, from start to finish.

Mr. Gopal K Chettri, SDM (Headquarters), also addressed the officials, emphasizing their responsibilities during the counting process. He informed that the counting would commence at 6 am, with all officers and officials required to report by 4:30 am. Transportation arrangements were also made to facilitate their timely presence.

The meeting included an interactive session where queries were raised by officials engaged in counting duties and addressed accordingly.