<span style="color: #222222;">As per the directions of the Election Commission, the preliminary arrangements for the storage of EVMs in strong rooms and counting process has been initiated in the Union Territory of Puducherry.<br />''</span><br />''Puducherry District Collector and District Election Officer Purva Garg today visited the Counting Stations along with Returning Officers and Nodal Officers to have a smooth and prompt counting process.<br />''<br />''The DEO gave instructions to the concerned departments to prepare the Counting Centres as per the  guidelines of the Election Commission of India. The Counting Centres will be used for preparation of EVMs in the presence of political parties and storage of the polled EVMs for counting. As such three-tier security would be provided to the Counting Centres.<br />''<br />''This  year, there will be three Counting Centres to count the votes polled in the 23 constituencies in Puducherry region. The votes polled in nine constituencies will be counted in Women's Polytechnic College, another nine constituency votes will be counted in Motilal Nehru Govt. Polytechnic and the votes polled in five constituencies will be counted at Tagore Govt. Arts and Science College and all these centres located in Lawspet. Last year, there were only two Counting Centres.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">The votes polled in Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam regions will be counted in the respective region and results conveyed to CEO, Puducherry.</span><br />