Voters heading to the polls in Assam on April 9 will find a new facility waiting for them — a mobile phone deposit counter right outside their polling station entrance.
It is the first time such a facility is being rolled out in the state, as part of the Election Commission of India's (ECI) Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF) framework.
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Under the new system, mobile phones will be permitted within 100 metres of a polling station only in switched-off mode.
Before entering the polling station, voters must hand over their switched-off phone to a designated volunteer, who will issue a pre-numbered token in return.
Once voting is done, the voter returns the token and collects their phone. Importantly, the phone must remain switched off until the voter has moved beyond the 100-metre perimeter around the polling station.
The ECI announced elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal — along with bye-elections in six states — on March 15, 2026.
As part of that announcement, the ECI directed Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) across all states and Union Territories to ensure that all 2,18,807 polling stations nationwide meet AMF standards.
Assam alone has 31,490 polling stations, including four auxiliary ones.
The AMF checklist mandates a specific set of baseline provisions at every polling station:
Drinking water
A shaded waiting area
A toilet with water facility
Adequate lighting
A ramp of proper gradient for voters with disabilities (PwD)
A standard voting compartment
Clear signage throughout the premises
CEOs have also been instructed to place benches at regular intervals along the queue so voters can sit while waiting their turn.
Four standardised Voter Facilitation Posters (VFPs) will be prominently displayed at every polling station. These will cover:
Polling station details
The list of candidates
Do's and don'ts for voters
Approved identification documents
A step-by-step breakdown of the voting process
Voter Assistance Booths (VABs) will also be set up at every polling station location. Staffed by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and other officials, these booths will help voters locate their correct polling booth number and serial number in the electoral roll.
VABs will be clearly marked and easy to spot as voters approach the polling premises.