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The Lakhimpur district administration has geared up for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls scheduled in mid-April. The process and preparation for conducting free and fair elections in the district was explained by Deputy Commissioner Jeevan B in a press meet in North Lakhimpur on Tuesday.

Addressing the press, Jeevan said that Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system attached to Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) would be introduced for the first time in the polls in the district. To ensure transparency and clarity, a slip would be generated in the system which would appear on the screen for seven seconds for the verification by the voter. It would then enter inside a sealed chamber of the machine automatically in printed forms.

He further said that in case of any complaint on vote casting, it would be verified at the time of counting of votes by checking the slips.

The Lakhimpur DC who is also the district returning officer said that personnel of security forces engaged in polling duties could also cast their votes through postal ballots which would be electronically transmitted.

The DC further mentioned that steps of removing posters and hoardings of various state advertisements had been initiated in the district in the wake of the promulgation of model code of conduct for the election.

Three LAC segments of Lakhimpur district – 110 Nowboicha, 111 Lakhimpur and 112 Dhakuwakhona would go for poll for the 14 Lakhimpur HPC on April 11.

Polling arrangements for three LAC areas of Lakhimpur district was also briefed at the meeting. The three LACs have been divided in 14 polling zones and 110 Sectors where 937 polling stations have been set up.

Among the polling stations, 58 have been identified as complex ones while 165 polling centre have been earmarked as very sensitive and 245 as sensitive. The district administration has arranged for the deployment of adequate security forces in those marked polling stations, the DC said.

The entire election process in the district would be monitored by 25 micro-observation systems. App based services like voter helpline, code of conduct monitor and Subidha have also been arranged by the district administration for the polls as mentioned by the DC.

Farhana Ahmed is Northeast Now Correspondent in North Lakhimpur. She can be reached at: [email protected]