Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: The Assam State Election Commission (ASEC) declared the BTC election schedule today. As per the schedule, the polling in all the 40 BTC constituencies will be on September 22, and counting on September 26. With the declaration of the poll schedule, the model code of conduct (MCC) is now effective in the BTR.
The ASEC issued the official notification for the BTC election, 2025, this afternoon. According to the notification, the last date for filing nomination is September 2, scrutiny of nomination papers is on September 4, publication of the list of validly nominated candidates is September 4, the last date for withdrawal of candidatures is September 6, publication of the list of contesting candidates is September 6, the date of the poll is September 22, the date of the fresh poll, if any, is September 24, the date of counting is September 26, and completion of the election process is before September 28.
The breakup of seat reservations in the BTC in constituencies is 30 for ST candidates and 5 for non-ST candidates for open seats. The maximum ceiling of expenditure for each candidate is Rs 10 lakh.
The poll hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the day of the poll and also for any fresh poll, if required. The commission stipulates that the counting of votes shall start at 8 am on the day of counting and shall continue until the completion.
The total voters in the BTR is 26,57,937 – 13,23,399 males, 13,34,521 females and 17 others. However, the ASEC has decided to continue the process of addition of new electors till the last date of filing of nominations, as per rules, subject to the ongoing summary revision exercise of the Election Commission of India. The BTR has 3,359 polling stations now.
The last BTC poll was held in 2020 with as many as 23,87,046 electors, and the number increased by 11.35 per cent this year. In 2020, BPF won 17 seats, UPPL 12, BJP 9, and the Congress and the GSP 1 each.
The commission appealed to BTC electors to participate in the electoral process to select their representatives without any bias of caste/religion and without any fear or favour for strengthening democracy at the grassroots level.
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