Assam assembly elections: Boats, tractors, treks — EC reaching every voter

GUWAHATI: Traversing chars (sandbars) in middle of rivers and hilly terrain, battling patchy internet networks with long treks, boats, Election Commission has taken on Assam’s logistical challenges to ensure that no voter is left behind as the state votes on Thursday.Elephants, once commonly pressed into service, are no longer needed thanks to improved communication and infrastructure.An official explained the scale of the challenge in Assam’s remote interiors, saying, “We have already dispatched, two days in advance, polling officials, security personnel, EVMs and election materials to 228 polling stations located in remote areas where the men have to trek for more than eight hours to reach their destinations.” The rest of the polling persnnel were all dispatched on Wednesday. In Dhubri district’s Birising Jarua constituency, officials say reaching more than 300 polling stations will require multi mode transport, combining vehicles and boats.“These areas are char lands situated in the middle of the river. So boats are the only option,” an official explained.In Majuli river island, tractors remain the primary mode of transport for men and materials, a practice also common in constituencies like Chenga, Jaleswar and Barpeta.In the remote hills of Dima Hasao, polling and security personnel trek for hours before reaching their destinations.For seven polling stations there, webcasting cameras were carried by trekking teams days in advance for installation. Webcasting will cover all 31,490 polling stations, enabling real-time monitoring from district headquarters and the Election Commission in Delhi. Where internet connectivity is absent, cameras will store footage on memory cards to be downloaded later.To meet the scale of deployment, vehicles have been hired from neighbouring states including West Bengal and Nagaland to transport the 800 companies of security personnel stationed across Assam.This mix of boats, tractors, trekking teams and hired vehicles reflects the Election Commission’s determination to overcome Assam’s unique geographical challenges and ensure every voter can participate in tomorrow’s polls.CEO Anurag Goel said that that basic facilities such as drinking water, toilets, seating arrangements, and wheelchairs for persons with disabilities have been provided at all polling stations. Ballot Units, Control Units, and VVPAT machines have been stocked with reserves to meet any emergency. The commission has also emphasized transparency and security. Micro-observers from the central govt will be stationed at sensitive booths, while CAPF and police will dominate vulnerable areas.