YAOUNDE, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Constitutional Council of Cameroon on Monday began reading the final results of the Oct. 12 presidential poll in the country.

The council will read out the results from 31,653 polling stations before proclaiming the overall winner of the election, Justice Clement Atangana, president of the council, said at the start of a televised solemn ceremony taking place at the Conference Center in the capital, Yaounde.

"The proclamation of the final results will be an all-day-long process. It will take hours before we know the new president. All other percentages, such as how many people registered, how many people voted, and how many people dropped empty ballots, will be officially known later today," said Michael Ndifor, a lawyer taking part in the process.

The proclamation is taking place amid a tense atmosphere. Security has been beefed up at the Conference Center and in busy parts of the city. ■