In this age of electronic voting machine, elephants and bullock carts are equally relevant for the election commission who can not think of holding elections without their assistance in some of the most inaccessible polling stations of Assam.
In the heart of the state, which also comprises the capital constituency within Kamrup district, more than five elephants will be used to carry polling personnel and poll materials to hilly and inaccessible areas.
According to Kamrup district administration, at least three elephants would be used to carry poll materials to a remote polling station along the Assam-Meghalaya border, which can be only reached by foot. Nearly 50 porters would be following the pachyderms during their march carrying essentials for the polling personnel in the remote areas.
Similarly the administration will be using motorboats, country boats and over a dozen bullock carts to carry the polling materials to various remote polling stations. There are 274 polling stations which can only be accessed through boats.
Meanwhile Election Commission of India has identified 2975 polling stations as ‘very sensitive’, 6635 ‘sensitive’ and 440 ‘hyper sensitive’ out of the total 18,829 polling stations that will go to poll in two phases on April 16 and April 23 in Assam. Disclosing that they have sought 120 companies of paramilitary forces to conduct the elections in 14 parliamentary constituencies, the chief electoral officer Hemanta Narazary told reporters that election commission of India has assured to provide 75
companies of paramilitary forces to conduct the elections.
He also informed that some companies of the paramilitary force have already arrived and deployed in the three constituencies -- Autonomous districts, Silchar and Karimganj - where election is being held on March 16 next.
Apart from hiring vehicles, the elections commission was also requisitioning boats and elephants to conduct polling in some of most interior polling stations of the state. In
case of emergency, helicopters will also be on the stand by to help the elections officials if necessity arises during the election in the state.
Altogether 1,74,68,958 electorates are eligible to exercise their franchise which includes 90,25,516 males and 8443442 females voters. The Election Commission has assigned 42 central
election observers for Assam. Three observers will be deployed in each of the 14 parliamentary constituencies.
(By arrangement with Deccan Chronicle)