As votes for 126 assembly constituencies in Assam will be counted on Monday, the Election Commission (EC) deployed observers for each constituency to ensure its smooth conduct.
A total of 5,981 counting officials, along with 2,348 micro observers have been deployed. The counting will start at 8am in 40 centres across 35 districts.
There is also a three-tier security system at strong rooms where the electronic voting machines (EVMs) are kept: 20 companies of central armed police forces (CAPFs) handle the innermost cordon, 13 companies of state armed police are in the second tier, and around 800 unarmed police personnel are in the first tier.
Apart from them 2 companies of central reserve police force (CRPF) are on static duty, 93 companies of state armed police are deployed in all districts and 85 assault group (AG) commandos are at the disposal of election officials.
Officials informed that a total of 119,463 voters exercised their franchise through postal ballots, comprising 83,459 election duty officials, 26,696 senior citizens above 85 years of age, 8,614 persons with disabilities, and 694 voters engaged in essential services. The number excludes service voters.
All eyes remain on EVMs that store the fates of 722 candidates.
{{/usCountry}}All eyes remain on EVMs that store the fates of 722 candidates.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read:Assam exit poll show a massive lead for BJP, Himanta Biswa Sarma govt headed for another term
Assam went to polls on April 9. The state witnessed 85.96% polling, with the Birsing Jarua seat recording the highest at 96.54% and New Guwahati the lowest (72.37%).
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been in power since 2016, is hoping to win a third consecutive term with help of its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies, while Congress is attempting a comeback after stitching an alliance with five other parties. Most exit polls have predicted a win for the BJP and its allies.
“Tomorrow is an important day. The BJP and our NDA allies will form government in Assam for the third consecutive term allowing us to continue the development work undertaken for the past 10 years. We are confident of a historic win,” BJP Assam unit president, Dilip Saikia said on Sunday.
The BJP contested 90 seats while its allies Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland Peoples Party fielded candidates from 26 and 11 seats respectively. The Congress contested 99 seats and its alliance partners: Raijor Dal (13), Assam Jatiya Parishad (10), CPI (M) from 3 and All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC) from 2 seats.
“People from all walks of life across Upper Assam, Lower Assam, Barak Valley, and the hill areas have exercised their franchise this time to form a new government, and a clear reflection of this will be seen in the results on May 4,” Congress state president Gaurav Gogoi said on Saturday.
Parties not aligned with either of the two major camps include the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), which contested 30 seats, AAP (18), Trinamool Congress (22), JMM (16), United Peoples Party Liberal (UPPL) (18); and 258 Independent candidates.
The key seats in this election are Jalukbari from where chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is seeking reelection, Jorhat where Congress state unit chief Gaurav Gogoi is a candidate; and Sibsagar from where Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi is seeking a second term.