Postal ballot facility extended to 3 new voter categories: Assam CEO

GUWAHATI: In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, provision of postal votes will be extended to three new categories of voters in the Assam assembly elections from March 27 to April 6.

The three classes as provided by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in its guidelines include the COVID-19 patients, elderly people above the age of 80 years and the physically challenged.  Besides, those engaged in essential services will be eligible for the service.

However, to avail the service, the voters concerned will have to apply for it within five days from the date of notification of the elections to their respective assembly constituencies.

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As many as 442 third gender voters will be among 2.32 crore who will exercise their franchise in Assam. The voters in the state will include 1.18 crore males and 1.14 crore females, said Assam chief election officer Nitin Khade. The number of D voters stands at 1.08 lakh.

Polling will be held at 33,533 polling stations and a total of 2.41 lakh polling officials will be engaged in the process. The number of polling stations increased by nearly 35 per cent compared to the 2016 elections in the state.

The CEO also said since the Union health ministry has already declared the polling officials as frontline workers, they would be inoculated from March 1 to prepare them for the polling process.

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Khade said all the COVID-19 protocol will be followed during polling. He said there would be facilities for soap and water, sanitiser etc at every polling station.

In view of the pandemic, the ECI has already restricted the number of supporters to accompany candidates to file nomination to only two and only five persons, including the candidate, would be allowed to visit voters door-to-door.

The road show restrictions would include breaking up the convoys after every five vehicles, excluding the security vehicles, Khade said. The earlier practice was to break up the convoys after every 10 vehicles.

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He said the respective district administration will maintain a close watch to maintain all the COVID-19 protocol and any violation will be liable for action under the Assam State Disaster Management Act and Section 188 IPC.

Khade further said money power, muscle power and liquor to woo voters would not be tolerated at any cost and warned of punitive action against any violator.