GUWAHATI: The forthcoming Assembly election process in Assam should be over by May 4 when the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) begins Class X board examination as has been informed by the visiting Election Commission of India (ECI) team led by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Sunil Arora.
The CEC told the media here on Wednesday that election dates in Assam would be announced keeping Rongali Bihu (Spring Festival) festival in mind as requested by most of the political parties in the state during the meeting with the visiting Election Commission of India (ECI) team.
The full ECI, led by the CEC, Sunil Arora and comprising the full team including Election Commissioners Sushil Chandra and Rajiv Kumar arrived here on Monday last to review the poll preparedness for upcoming Assembly elections in the state.
The CEC observed that the law and order situation in Assam as on date was under control as per the impression provided by the law enforcing agencies during the meeting with the ECI team.
In respect of requests from certain political parties for use of ballot papers in the election, the CEC said that years of ballot papers were over and the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) may malfunction occasionally but were fully tamper-proof.
The CEC assured engagement of very experienced and efficient poll observers including special expenditure observers during Assam polls where a candidate can spend maximum RS 30.80 lakh during the polls.
He said assured minimum facilities (AMF) including adequate security in far flung polling stations would be ensured while all the polling stations in the state will be located in the ground floor for the convenience of everyone.
Political parties have been asked to upload in their websites details about party’s poll candidates and in case of candidates with criminal background an explanation has to be provided to justify nomination to such candidates.
During the three-day visit, the poll panel held meetings with political parties, election-related regulatory agencies, district election officers and superintendents of police, chief secretary, home secretary, director general of police and other senior officials.
This is the poll panel’s second visit within a span of just four days after another ECI delegation concluded a three-day tour of the state last Wednesday.
In the meetings conducted last week, all key issues covering electoral rolls, first level checking of electronic voting machines, voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) system, polling stations, manpower, transportation, security besides COVID issues were discussed at length.