Anurag Goel, the Chief Electoral Officer, addressed the media regarding the preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Assam. He emphasized the readiness for the impending polls and urged citizens to apply for inclusion in the voter list as today marks the final day for such applications.
The first phase of voting is scheduled to take place in Kaziranga, Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Jorhat, and Dibrugarh. A total of 28,650 polling centers will be set up across the state, accommodating approximately 34,380 voting machines and 37,245 VVPAT machines. Goel announced that voting machines will undergo testing on March 20th to ensure smooth operation during the elections.
He urged all political parties to submit their members' applications for MCMC certification for political advertisements through the Subhidha.eci.gov.in portal. Additionally, he mentioned the introduction of new methods for expense verification.
Regarding election logistics, Goel stated that “training sessions for polling officers have commenced, and control rooms have been set up”.
Furthermore, he mentioned the implementation of GPS tracking for vehicles transporting EVMs, with approximately 18-19 thousand vehicles equipped with GPS devices.
“In terms of voter convenience, arrangements have been made for postal ballots for individuals above 85 years old. Application forms for this purpose will be available as Form-20. Additionally, special provisions will be made for voters with disabilities (PWD), with their inclusion highlighted in the voter list”, Goel said.
“District-specific polling stations will be designated for transgender voters, and applications for such stations can be submitted using Form-12D at the respective district election offices”, he added.
In Assam, the total number of eligible voters stands at 2,43,01,960, with 1,21,79,358 male voters and 1,21,22,188 female voters. Additionally, there are 414 third-gender voters registered for the upcoming elections. Notably, there are 4,854 centenarian voters aged 100 or above.
Currently, the state boasts 60 companies of security forces deployed for election security. Extra security forces will be mobilized as needed for the elections. Moreover, there will be 1,409 polling centers specifically dedicated to female voters across the state.
Furthermore, there will be a total of 262 model polling stations set up for the elections. Webcasting facilities will be available in 15,777 polling centers to ensure transparency and accountability during the electoral process.
