Chattogram: Election Commission Member and Head of the IT Cell Professor Saidur Rahman Chowdhury has stated that the vote counting process for the Chattogram University Central Students’ Union (CUCSU) and hall unions elections is expected to take seven to eight hours to complete.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Professor Chowdhury informed journalists that a team of experts is overseeing the entire process, with counting for each hall being conducted in three stages. The compilation and verification of results from all 15 voting centers are anticipated to require a maximum of seven to eight hours.
Professor Chowdhury explained that around 140,000 pages were tested to ensure machine readability, affirming that the machine can accurately read the pages. He noted that any external page entering the machine would be rejected due to the security code assigned to the system. Authorities tested the machines on a dual-choice basis after scanning the OMRs to confirm proper functionality, ensuring that the machines are operating correctly.
When queried about the timeline for announcing the results, Professor Chowdhury elaborated that if approximately 80 percent of the votes are cast, it would take around seven hours to scan the ballots. The counting process will be displayed on a large screen to ensure transparency.
The elections to the CUCSU concluded at 4pm in a peaceful atmosphere amid tight security. Chief Election Commissioner Professor Munir Uddin reported that the voting for both the CUCSU and hall union elections was completed without any major untoward incidents. He stated that students cast their votes spontaneously, and the overall environment at the polling centers remained calm and orderly.