Curtains came down on the campaigning for panchayat elections 2018 in Assam, as polling officials and security personnel took charge of holding second and final phase of polls on Sunday, next.
Apart from 16 districts of Assam that went for the polls on Wednesday (December 5) in its first phase, 10 other districts would go for the second and final phase of electioneering on December 9.
Among these districts, hectic parleys were witnessed since Friday morning at the premises of Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) and Inter State Truck Terminus (ISTT) on the outskirts of Silchar that would oversee the poll process of Cachar district.
In all, there are 1659 polling stations earmarked to cater to 27 zila Parishad constituencies and 162 gaon panchayat (GP) and anchalik panchayat (AP), under its fray.
The district administration of Cachar and its election officials, gave marching orders to 733 polling personnel and security staff for its equal number of polling stations on Friday, while, another 926 polling stations with the same number of polling personnel, shall leave on Saturday. These 733 polling personnel would take care of poll related activities of 12 zila Parishad constituencies while the rest 926 would do so for the remaining 15 ZPCs of this district.
Deputy Commissioner Cachar, Dr S Laksmanan, who is monitoring closely the movement of polling personnel from both these ISBT and ISTT, talking to Northeast Now, said, “In all 96 sector officers have been deployed for the whole of Cachar district and today 733 polling personnel would leave for 12 ZPC areas while the rest would go tomorrow. We have adequate resources as well as reserves to meet any lacuna that might come up leading to the polls.”
He added, “Almost 10,55,000 voters would exercise their franchise on the polling day for these posts, barring two anchaik panchayats and 44 GP member posts who have been declared uncontested winners, the race to the finish would be a thing to watch out for. We would keep a hawk’s eye over the proceedings for the next few days, said, Dr S Lakhsmanan.
SP Cachar, Rakesh Roshan, too, along with his team of police officers was seen at ISBT complex on Friday, briefing each security party on their roles and duties. Talking to this correspondent, he said, “We are fully prepared for the polls on 9th December as well as the counting that is to follow on 12th December. We have adequate reserves too to counter any wrongdoings on the day of polling or post polls.”
We are not using any para military forces straight on in any of the polling areas but would be ready to move in fast as and when required, said, SP Cachar.