Assam Assembly Election: 8,500 Officials Set for Vote Counting on May 4

Vote Counting Preparations in Assam

Guwahati: On May 4, approximately 8,500 officials will oversee the counting of votes for the 126 assembly constituencies in Assam, as announced by the state's Chief Electoral Officer, Anurag Goel, during a press briefing.

Goel emphasized that the Election Commission is fully prepared to ensure a smooth and transparent counting process.

He noted that there will be 40 counting centers distributed across Assam's 35 districts, with most districts having a single center that encompasses all constituencies within their area.

Kokrajhar, Tinsukia, and Jorhat will each have two counting centers, while Nagaon will feature three.

To maintain impartiality, the Election Commission has appointed 126 counting observers, all senior IAS officers from outside the state. Additionally, 2,348 micro-observers, who are central government employees, will be present.

For the counting operations, a total of 5,981 counting officials, primarily from the state government, will be involved.

A historic voter turnout of 85.96% was recorded on April 9, with 2.51 crore voters participating, surpassing the previous record of 84.67% from 2016.

Regarding security, Goel stated that 25 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed to secure the strong rooms and counting centers.

Furthermore, 13 companies of state armed police will serve as a secondary security layer outside the strong rooms. Goel assured that the integrity of the strong rooms has not been compromised, countering claims of security issues raised by opposition leaders.

On counting day, an additional 800 unarmed police personnel will assist in transporting EVMs from strong rooms to counting centers.

Two extra CAPF companies will be on static duty, and 93 companies of state armed police are already stationed in the districts. Additionally, 85 Assault Groups (AGs) will be on standby to address any potential disturbances.

Goel also reported that various agencies have confiscated items, including liquor and cash, totaling Rs 114.43 crore from March 15 to April 27.

The voting for the Assam Legislative Assembly occurred in a single phase on April 9, across 31,490 polling stations.

A total of 722 candidates, including 59 women, are contesting in this election.