Vote tallying for the national parliamentary election adheres to a specific legal protocol immediately post the conclusion of voting. Typically, voting ceases at 4:30 pm, yet individuals within the polling center’s perimeter by closing time are permitted to vote. Once voting concludes, the presiding officer seals the ballot boxes in the presence of candidates’ polling agents, while unused ballots are accounted for and stored separately.
Initially, counting commences at the polling center where officials cross-reference the number of ballots cast with the voter registry for accuracy. Subsequently, the ballot boxes are unsealed, and each ballot is scrutinized individually. Throughout the counting process, ballots are categorized by candidate. A valid ballot must have a single symbol seal correctly affixed. Any ballot with multiple seals, unclear markings, or irregularities may be invalidated following electoral guidelines, with the presiding officer resolving any disputes.
Upon completion of the tally, a result summary, known as the Statement of Result, is formulated at the center and publicly disclosed in the presence of candidates’ representatives, who have the option to receive copies of the statement. These results are then relayed to the returning officer, who consolidates data from all polling centers within the constituency to announce the unofficial outcome for the seat.
Subsequently, the Election Commission (EC) unveils the unofficial seat outcome before the official results are disseminated via a gazette notification.