Gorakhpur: Counting of votes for the Gorakhpur-Faizabad teachers’ constituency MLC election began at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University on Tuesday with 14 tables set up for counting ballots received from 200 booths across 17 districts.Bundling was completed and counting started at 5 pm, with 20 bundles allotted to each table. Tension erupted after 675 ballot papers were reportedly found in a ballot box from booth 123 in Mau against 623 recorded on the box and Form 16, a difference of 52 votes.Another controversy arose over an allegedly unsealed ballot box from Bankata. Independent candidate Ajay Singh said he learnt about the missing seal after the box was brought out of the strongroom. Candidates staged a protest outside the strongroom, but officials intervened and pacified them.BJP and SP candidates and their supporters remained present as counting progressed, with party workers monitoring updates from camps outside the university.SSP Kaustubh said four-tier security had been deployed around the counting centre. DFMDs and HHMDs were installed at the final two entry levels, and only authorised pass holders were allowed inside after checks. He urged people to cooperate with security personnel and park vehicles in designated areas.DM Deepak Meena said adequate police personnel and magistrates had been deployed, while drinking water, ambulances and fire services were arranged for staff and agents. Updates would be shared through the media centre, he said, adding that guidelines prohibited victory processions in crowded areas.
