Assam Assembly Poll: Stage all set for May 2 counting

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State Election Department has planned its strategy out for the counting of votes of the three-phase Assam Legislative Assembly elections that concluded on April 6, 2021. The adherence to the Election Commission's broad COVID guidelines for safety is likely to delay the counting process.

According to sources in the Department, the counting will go on in 53 centres on 1,920 counting tables on May 2. While each of the counting tables will have a micro observer, each of the 126 LACs (Legislative Assembly Constituencies) will have a central observer. All such observers are Central government officers deputed by the Election Commission of India.

All counting halls will have CCTV cameras to ensure transparency. No one, neither counting agents nor counting officials, will be allowed to enter the counting halls without a COVID-19 negative report. Besides thermal test at the entry gate, social distancing and other COVID-appropriate behaviour are to be maintained in the counting halls.

The counting will begin at 8 am with the postal ballots. This time, 1.90 lakh postal ballots have been received so far. According to sources in the department, complete results may be as late as midnight because of the COVID protocol.

All counting centres are under three-tier security setups, including CAPF (Central Armed Police Force) personnel.

The total number of candidates who were in the poll fray was 946 – 872 males, 74 females. The oldest candidate (85 years old) in the poll fray is Premadhar Bora, an independent candidate from Bihpuria LAC.

As for political parties, Congress fielded the highest number of 95 candidates against 93 by the BJP. However, 380 of the total candidates in the poll fray are independent ones.

The State has 2,33,47,087 electors – 1,18,23,286 males, 1,15,50,403 females and 398 transgender. Dispur LAC has the highest number of 4,11,636 voters and Thowra LAC has the lowest number of 1,15,364. While Algapur LAC has the highest number of 19 candidates, Udalguri LAC has only two candidates.

The overall turnout in the poll was 82.04 per cent. While the highest turnout of 93.44 per cent was recorded in Jaleswar LAC, the lowest turnout of 71.14 per cent was recorded in Gauhati East LAC.

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