With Assam set to go to the polls on April 9, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has intensified its preparations, conducting an online review and training session with senior officials across the state to evaluate readiness.
The meeting included District Election Officers (DEOs), Superintendents of Police (SPs), senior police personnel, and other key administrators, focusing on law and order arrangements as well as polling logistics. The exercise follows Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s earlier review, during which he emphasised that elections must be “violence-free, intimidation-free, and inducement-free” so that voters can participate “without fear or favour in a festive atmosphere”.
According to the ECI, officials carried out a comprehensive assessment of district-level preparedness, covering assured minimum facilities at polling stations, EVM management, deployment of personnel, seizure actions, and voter awareness campaigns. Law and order readiness was also reviewed in detail.
To ensure transparency in the polling process, clear instructions were issued. Presiding Officers have been directed to provide signed copies of Form 17C — detailing the votes recorded — to polling agents at the end of voting. They have also been asked to upload voter turnout data on the ECINET app every two hours and after polling concludes.
The Commission has instructed DEOs to ensure that Voter Information Slips are delivered to electors at least five days before polling, along with voter guides for every household. Special provisions, including Braille-enabled slips, will be made for visually impaired voters.
Officials were also directed to process campaign-related permissions submitted through the Suvidha module within 24 hours on a “first come first serve” basis, while maintaining strict impartiality.
Considering Assam’s geographical challenges, special emphasis was placed on safety arrangements at riverine polling stations, with directions to ensure adequate rescue and emergency measures.
Polling for all 126 Assembly constituencies will take place in a single phase on April 9, with counting scheduled for May 4.
