Guwahati, Dec 12: Elections to 28 constituencies of North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) in Dima Hasao district will be held on January 8, 2024, the Assam State Election Commission (ASEC) announced on Tuesday.
Polling for all the constituencies of the council will be conducted across 280 polling stations, of which 153 have been marked ‘comparatively safe’, 100 have been marked ‘sensitive’ while 27 have been marked ‘very sensitive’.
Voting will take place from 8 am to 4 pm.
Addressing a media conference here, Assam State Election Commissioner Alok Kumar informed that the election in NCHAC would be conducted through ballot boxes and ballot papers and not electronic voting machines (EVMs).
“For every polling station in this election, we have to buy a large number of EVMs, which are not available as of now. However, we are in the process of discussions with the Electronic Corporation of India and government PSUs for EVMs. Once they are available, in future we will be using EVMs. But in this election, polling will be conducted through ballot paper,” Kumar said.
As many as 141124 voters, 70485 male and 70639 female, are eligible to cast their votes in the polls.
“The number of voters has increased by 15.45 per cent from the council polls in 2019,” Kumar said.
The date of counting of votes has been fixed from 8am on January 12, 2024 till the completion of the counting process and the results will be declared on the same day.
“The last date for filing of nominations by candidates for all the constituencies of the council has been fixed between 11am and 3pm on December 21, 2023, while the last day for scrutiny of nominations has been fixed on December 22, 2023,” the state election commissioner said.
The last date for withdrawal of candidature is December 22 (till the time of preparation of valid nominations) and the list of validly nominated candidates will be published on the same day.
“In case there is a requirement of repolling, it will be held between 8am and 4pm on January 10, 2024,” he said.
The photo electoral rolls already published on November 10, 2023 will be used for the election. Electoral photo identity card shall be the main document for identification of a voter.
With the announcement of the election date, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect in the NCHAC areas.
Notably, this will be the 13th election to NCHAC in Dima Hasao, formerly called North Cachar Hills. The council operates under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.