Poll preparedness in Cachar : 95 polling stations identified as ‘critical

way2barak, March 17:—. With the formal issuance of the election notification on Monday, the District Administration of Cachar has stepped up preparations to ensure that the forthcoming polls are conducted in a free, fair and peaceful environment across the district.

To apprise political stakeholders of the electoral guidelines and administrative arrangements, District Commissioner and District Election Officer Aayush Garg, IAS convened an all-party meeting on Monday at DC’S conference hall here in Silchar.

 Briefing the media following the meeting, he outlined a series of steps undertaken by the administration to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process while ensuring smooth conduct of polling.

According to official data, Cachar district has a total of 1,732 polling stations. Among these, 95 polling centres have been identified as “critical” following a detailed assessment of past voting patterns and security inputs.The District Commissioner explained that 35 of these centres were marked after analysing voting statistics from previous elections, where voter turnout exceeded 90 percent and a large proportion of votes were recorded in favour of a single candidate. Considering these unusual patterns, the administration has decided to place these locations under heightened surveillance during polling.

The remaining 60 polling stations have been categorised as sensitive based on reports received from police and intelligence agencies. These centres will also witness strengthened security arrangements and closer administrative monitoring to ensure that the voting process remains orderly and transparent.

Highlighting an important change in election management this year, the District Commissioner said that polling personnel for all seven Assembly constituencies of the district will be dispatched simultaneously to their respective polling stations two days prior to polling. Unlike previous elections where the deployment was carried out in phases, this arrangement is expected to streamline preparations and allow polling teams adequate time to organise their logistical requirements.

The administration is also focusing on improving voter participation. Cachar had recorded around 81 percent voter turnout in the previous election, and the district administration has now set a target of raising it to at least 85 percent. A series of voter awareness initiatives will be carried out to motivate citizens to participate actively in the democratic exercise.

Special provisions have been made to facilitate elderly and differently-abled voters. Electors aged above 85 years will have the option of casting their vote from home if they express willingness, while persons with disabilities having 40 percent or higher benchmark disability will also be able to avail similar arrangements.

Technology-based monitoring will be widely used during polling. Most polling stations in the district will be covered under webcasting to enable real-time observation of polling activities. However, due to network limitations in certain remote areas, around 18 polling stations will instead be monitored through CCTV surveillance. In another significant initiative aimed at promoting women’s participation in the electoral process, nearly 400 polling stations will be managed entirely by women personnel.

Security arrangements are also being strengthened ahead of polling day. The District Commissioner informed that 12 companies of security forces have already reached the district and will be deployed strategically based on the ground situation. Additional forces may be requisitioned if necessary.

The nomination process for candidates began on Monday and will continue until March 23. However, nominations will not be accepted on the day of Eid, which is a government holiday and on Sunday. On other days, nomination papers can be submitted between 11 am and 3 pm. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 24, while candidates will have the opportunity to withdraw their nominations until March 26. The District Commissioner also informed that no nomination papers were filed on the first day of the process.

The District Administration has also intensified vigilance to prevent the spread of false, biased or provocative information during the election period. Special monitoring mechanisms are being put in place, particularly to keep track of misleading content circulating on social media. Dedicated cells comprising officials from the police and civil administration will closely monitor the situation, and strict legal action will be taken against anyone found spreading inflammatory or misleading information.

Expressing confidence in the preparedness of the district, the District Commissioner said that with the cooperation of political parties and active participation of voters, Cachar is poised to witness a peaceful and vibrant democratic exercise in the upcoming election.

This is stated in a press release issued by Regional office of Information & and Public Relations Barak valley Zone Silchar Assam.