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Authorities have finalised district-wise counting arrangements across the state, with a revised number of venues announced as preparations intensify for the declaration of results.
Representational image. (Photo: IANS)
The Election Commission has scaled down the number of vote counting centres in West Bengal to 77, revising its earlier plan as the state prepares for results day on May 4.
The move comes after the conclusion of polling across all 294 Assembly constituencies, held in two phases on April 23 and April 29. Officials said the reduction was based on inputs from the ground, even as the situation continues to be reviewed.
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The office of the Chief Electoral Officer confirmed the revised figure on Thursday. West Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal said the decision was taken after assessing feedback from districts and indicated that the number could be brought down further if required.
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“We have taken the decision to reduce the number of counting centres based on feedback from the ground. If need be, we can reduce it further,” Agarwal said.
Earlier this month, 87 centres had been planned for counting. In comparison, the 2021 Assembly elections saw votes counted at 108 centres across the state.
In Kolkata, counting for 11 Assembly constituencies will be conducted across five locations, including Ballygunge Government High School, Baba Saheb Ambedkar Education University, Shakhaowat Memorial School, Netaji Indoor Stadium, and St Thomas Boys’ School.
North 24 Parganas, with 33 constituencies, will have eight centres such as Bidhannagar College, Basirhat High School, Basirhat Polytechnic College, Dinabandhu Mahavidyalaya in Bongaon, Barasat Government College and High School, Guru Nanak College campus in Panihati, and Rashtraguru Surendranath College in Barrackpore.
| Sl No. | District | Counting venue | No. of ACs | DHQ/SDHQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alipurduar | Alipurduar University | 5 | DHQ |
| 2 | Bankura | Bankura University | 5 | DHQ |
| 3 | Bankura | K.G. Engineering Institute, Bishnupur | 4 | SDHQ |
| 4 | Bankura | Khatra Adibasi Mahavidyalaya | 3 | SDHQ |
| 5 | Birbhum | Bolpur College | 3 | SDHQ |
| 6 | Birbhum | Rampurhat College | 4 | SDHQ |
| 7 | Birbhum | Sri Ramkrishna Shilpa Vidyapith, Suri | 4 | DHQ |
| 8 | Coochbehar | Cooch Behar Polytechnic College, Siliguri Road | 2 | DHQ |
| 9 | Coochbehar | Dinhata College | 2 | SDHQ |
| 10 | Coochbehar | Mathabhanga College | 2 | SDHQ |
| 11 | Coochbehar | Mekhliganj Higher Secondary School | 1 | SDHQ |
| 12 | Coochbehar | Tufanganj Mahavidyalaya | 2 | SDHQ |
| 13 | Dakshin Dinajpur | Balurghat College | 4 | DHQ |
| 14 | Dakshin Dinajpur | Buniadpur Mahavidyalaya | 2 | SDHQ |
| 15 | Darjeeling | Darjeeling Government College | 1 | DHQ |
| 16 | Darjeeling | Siliguri College | 3 | SDHQ |
| 17 | Darjeeling | St. Alphonsus Higher Secondary School, Kurseong | 1 | SDHQ |
| 18 | Hooghly | Chandannagar Govt College & Kanailal Vidyamandir English | 4 | SDHQ |
| 19 | Hooghly | Hooghly Institute of Technology | 4 | DHQ |
| 20 | Hooghly | Netaji Mahavidyalaya, Arambagh | 4 | SDHQ |
| 21 | Hooghly | Serampore College | 5 | SDHQ |
| 22 | Hooghly | West Bengal Survey Institute, Bandel | 1 | DHQ |
| 23 | Howrah | Govt Industrial Training Institute, Shibpur, IIEST Campus, Shibpur, Howrah-711103 | 3 | DHQ |
| 24 | Howrah | Howrah Jogesh Chandra Girls School, 20, Grand Trunk Road South, Howrah | 3 | DHQ |
| 25 | Howrah | Howrah Vivekananda Institution, 75 & 77 Swami Vivekananda Road, Santragachi, Howrah-711104 | 3 | DHQ |
| 26 | Howrah | OmDayal Group of Institutions Engineering and Architecture, Brishipur, Uluberia, Pin-711316 | 7 | SDHQ |
| 27 | Jalpaiguri | North Bengal University, 2nd Campus, Jalpaiguri | 5 | DHQ |
| 28 | Jalpaiguri | Parimal Mitra Smriti Mahavidyalaya, Mal | 2 | SDHQ |
| 29 | Jhargram | Rani Indira Debi Government Girls’ College, Jhargram Raj College Girls’ Wing | 4 | DHQ |
| 30 | Kalimpong | The Scottish Universities’ Mission Institution, Kalimpong | 1 | DHQ |
| 31 | Kolkata North | Netaji Indoor Stadium | 7 | DHQ |
| 32 | Kolkata South | Baba Saheb Ambedkar Education University, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata | 1 | DHQ |
| 33 | Kolkata South | Ballygunge Govt High School, Naresh Mitra Sarani, Kolkata | 1 | DHQ |
| 34 | Kolkata South | Sakhawat Memorial Govt Girls High School, Lord Sinha Road, Kolkata | 1 | DHQ |
| 35 | Kolkata South | St Thomas Boys School, Diamond Harbour Road, Khidirpur, Kolkata | 1 | DHQ |
| 36 | Malda | Malda College | 5 | DHQ |
| 37 | Malda | Malda Polytechnic College | 7 | DHQ |
| 38 | Murshidabad | Berhampore Girls’ College, Berhampore | 5 | DHQ |
| 39 | Murshidabad | Domkal Girls College, Domkal, Murshidabad | 3 | SDHQ |
| 40 | Murshidabad | Jangipur Government Polytechnic | 6 | SDHQ |
| 41 | Murshidabad | Kandi Raj College & High School Campus | 4 | SDHQ |
| 42 | Murshidabad | Subhas Chandra Bose Centenary College, Lalbagh | 4 | SDHQ |
| 43 | Nadia | BPC Institute of Technology, Krishnanagar | 7 | DHQ |
| 44 | Nadia | Dr B.R. Ambedkar College, Betai | 3 | SDHQ |
| 45 | Nadia | Kalyani Mahavidyalaya | 3 | SDHQ |
| 46 | Nadia | Ranaghat College | 4 | SDHQ |
| 47 | North 24 Parganas | Barasat Govt College & Government High School, Barasat | 6 | DHQ |
| 48 | North 24 Parganas | Basirhat High School | 2 | SDHQ |
| 49 | North 24 Parganas | Basirhat Polytechnic College | 6 | SDHQ |
| 50 | North 24 Parganas | Bidhannagar College | 3 | SDHQ |
| 51 | North 24 Parganas | Dinabandhu Mahavidyalaya, Bongaon | 4 | DHQ |
| 52 | North 24 Parganas | Guru Nanak College Campus, Panihati | 6 | SDHQ |
| 53 | North 24 Parganas | Rashtraguru Surendranath College, Barrackpore, Commerce Campus | 6 | SDHQ |
| 54 | Paschim Bardhaman | Asansol Engineering College, Asansol | 6 | DHQ |
| 55 | Paschim Bardhaman | Durgapur Govt College, Durgapur | 3 | SDHQ |
| 56 | Paschim Medinipur | Ghatal Rabindra Satabarsiki Mahavidyalaya | 3 | SDHQ |
| 57 | Paschim Medinipur | Kendriya Vidyalaya-2, Kharagpur | 5 | SDHQ |
| 58 | Paschim Medinipur | Medinipur College & Collegiate Boys School Campus | 7 | DHQ |
| 59 | Purba Bardhaman | Kalna College, Kalna | 4 | SDHQ |
| 60 | Purba Bardhaman | Katwa College, Katwa | 3 | SDHQ |
| 61 | Purba Bardhaman | MBC Institute of Technology, Sadhanpur, Burdwan | 4 | DHQ |
| 62 | Purba Bardhaman | University Institute of Technology Building, Burdwan | 5 | DHQ |
| 63 | Purba Medinipur | Egra Jhatulal High School | 3 | SDHQ |
| 64 | Purba Medinipur | Haldia Govt Sponsored Higher Secondary School | 3 | SDHQ |
| 65 | Purba Medinipur | Prabhat Kumar College, Contai | 4 | SDHQ |
| 66 | Purba Medinipur | Shahid Matangini Hazra Government General Degree College for Women, Tamluk | 6 | DHQ |
| 67 | Purulia | Manbhum Mahavidyalaya, Manbazar | 2 | SDHQ |
| 68 | Purulia | Raghunathpur College | 3 | SDHQ |
| 69 | Purulia | Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia | 4 | DHQ |
| 70 | South 24 Parganas | A P C Ray Polytechnic College, Jadavpur, Kolkata-700032 | 7 | DHQ |
| 71 | South 24 Parganas | Bankim Sardar College, Tangrakhali, Canning | 4 | DHQ |
| 72 | South 24 Parganas | Diamond Harbour Women’s University, Sarisha, Diamond Harbour | 7 | SDHQ |
| 73 | South 24 Parganas | Viharilal College, Judges Court Road, Alipore, Kolkata | 3 | DHQ |
| 74 | South 24 Parganas | Hastings House Complex | 7 | DHQ |
| 75 | South 24 Parganas | Sundarban Mahavidyalaya, Kakdwip | 3 | SDHQ |
| 76 | Uttar Dinajpur | Islampur College | 4 | SDHQ |
| 77 | Uttar Dinajpur | Raiganj Polytechnic | 5 | DHQ |
| Grand total | 294 | DHQ: 35, SDHQ: 42 | ||
South 24 Parganas will see counting for 31 constituencies at six venues, including Diamond Harbour Women’s University, Behari Lal College in Alipore, Bankim Sardar College in Canning, APC Roy Polytechnic College in Jadavpur, Hastings House Complex, and Sundarban Mahavidyalaya in Kakdwip.
Elsewhere, Alipurduar will host counting for five constituencies at Alipurduar University, while Jalpaiguri’s seven constituencies will be covered by two centres. Kalimpong’s lone constituency will be counted at Scottish Universities Mission Institution, and Jhargram’s four seats at Rani Indira Devi Government School.
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