The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Puducherry, has finalised detailed arrangements for counting votes in the 2026 Legislative Assembly elections, scheduled for May 4, the CEO said on Thursday.
Six counting centres across four regions
Counting will be conducted at six designated centres across the Union Territory’s four regions—Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam—under strict security protocols, the office said. The locations identified for counting are:
- Puducherry region: Women’s Engineering College; Motilal Nehru Government Polytechnic; Tagore Arts and Science College
- Karaikal: P.G. Centre of Arignar Anna Government Arts and Science College
- Mahe: Jawaharlal Nehru Government Higher Secondary School
- Yanam: Dr S.R.K. Government Arts College
Chief Electoral Officer P. Jawahar inspected the centres and said arrangements had been completed to ensure an orderly process.
"All arrangements are in place for a transparent and orderly counting process," said P. Jawahar.
Staffing and table allocation
A total of 166 tables have been set aside for Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) counting. Separate provisions include 35 tables dedicated to postal ballot counting.
| Counting activity | Counting Supervisors | Counting Assistants | Micro Observers |
|---|---|---|---|
| EVM & VVPAT counting | 218 | 221 | 232 |
| Postal ballot counting | 47 | 94 | 47 |
The deployment of counting supervisors, assistants and micro observers aims to ensure procedural compliance during each stage of verification and tallying.
Security and access protocols
Three-tier security arrangements will be implemented in accordance with Election Commission guidelines. Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will be deployed alongside local police to secure counting centres. Access to counting halls will be restricted to authorised persons only; entry will require valid identity cards and mobile phones will be strictly prohibited inside the halls.
The CEO’s office emphasised that only credentialed representatives of political parties, authorised observers and election officials will be permitted to remain within the counting venue premises. These measures are intended to preserve the integrity of the count and prevent any disruptions.
Public access to results
Members of the public and media can follow live counting trends and official results via the Election Commission’s website and the ECINET mobile application, the CEO’s office said. These digital channels will provide real-time updates as counting progresses at the designated centres.
Practical implications for stakeholders
For candidates and party agents, the allocation of tables and the detailed staff deployment provides clarity on how many EVMs and postal ballots can be handled simultaneously. Micro observers, who are part of the Election Commission’s system of independent checks, will monitor processes at each table and report any procedural lapses.
For voters and the wider public, the combination of central security forces, restricted access and digital result feeds is intended to ensure transparency and to reduce the possibility of misinformation about the outcome and the counting process.
The CEO’s announcement follows standard pre-count inspections conducted in other states and UTs ahead of Assembly election results. The organisational plan here mirrors Election Commission practices designed to expedite counting while maintaining legal and procedural safeguards.
Counting on May 4 will determine the composition of the Puducherry Legislative Assembly for the coming term. The CEO’s office has urged all stakeholders to co-operate with officials and adhere to the rules prescribed for the counting day.
