The ruling Congress, the BJP led three-party alliance and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) are all set to engage in the battle of ballots for the first phase of polls for 65 of the total 126 legislative Assembly constituencies tomorrow.
There are a total of 539 candidates including 43 women are in the electoral fray this time and a total of 95,11,732 voters are expected to cast their votes in 12,190 polling stations set up across the 65 constituencies.
Security has been intensified across the 65 constituencies which are going to polls tomorrow even as the election machinery is using 535 companies of security forces including Central Armed Police Forces to ensure security and smooth conduction of the polls.
The State’s international borders have been put under strict vigil so that anti-socials from other side of the border could not sneak over to disrupt the poll process across the State.
The election to the first phase of polls will assumes significance, particularly for the BJP as the saffron party has been eyeing to capture more constituencies located in Upper Assam, north bank of the Brahmaputra river and in Barak Valley. The 65 constituencies going to polls tomorrow are located mostly in Upper Assam, Barak Valley and in north bank of Brahmaputra river.
Most of the remaining 61 constituencies, which are going to polls in the second phase on April 11, are currently being held mainly by the ruling Congress, the AIUDF and some smaller parties like Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) and some others.
While the Congress is fighting the polls with United Peoples Party (UPP), the BJP, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF) is going to the polls together.
Assam’s Chief Electoral Officer Vijayendra said that all the necessary steps have been taken by the election machinery to ensure smooth polling across the 65 constituencies.
“We are hopeful that Assam the 65 constituencies going to polls tomorrow will register peaceful and good polling percentage. The polling parties including presiding officers, polling staffs and security personnel have already moved to their respective polling stations,” he said.
“Polling will start at 7 am tomorrow and will continue till 5 pm. However, those persons, who stands in the queue in front of the polling stations till 5 pm must be allowed to vote,” Vijayendra said.
He said that a total of 535 companies of security forces including 433 companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and 102 companies of State Armed Police Force (SAPF) has been deployed as per the necessity across the polling stations.
The election machinery is using 2370 heavy vehicles, 3913 medium vehicles, 7343 light vehicles, 144 boats and 35 bullcok carts for convenience of the polling personnel and carrying of EVMs to respective polling stations.
It may be mentioned here that the election machinery which has been strictly implementing the model code of conduct (MCC) across the State has so far seized over Rs. 9 crore illegal money, close to 8 lakh liters of illicit liquors and over 5 lakh kgs of drugs meant to be distributed among the voters. Apart from this the Income Tax department had also seized over Rs. 2 crores of illegal money since imposition of the MCC.
“Similarly, the 166 illegal arms and 538 round of illegal ammunition have also been seized from different areas of the State so far,” the CEO said.