Gujarat, Himachal results: Only observer's phone to be allowed inside counting hall, says EC

With the Gujarat and Himachal election votes to be counted Monday, the Election Commission (EC) on Saturday banned mobile phones inside the counting hall.

Only the observer will be allowed to carry his or her phone into the counting hall.

"Nobody except the observer will be allowed to carry a mobile handset inside the counting hall," a statement from the EC said.

The statement added that only the phone of the Reporting Officer (RO) will be linked to the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS).

The phone will be used to receive the one-time password (OTP) required to start the counting process, and then be turned off again. 

"Only the mobile phone of RO, linked to ETPBS, will be used to receive the OTP to log into ETPBS to start the counting process. Mobile handset will be switched on only to receive the OTP and will be switched off once the system is logged on ETPBS," the statement said.

The phone will be kept in the observer's custody in the switched-off mode, the statement from the EC said.

??????(With inputs from ANI)