ASSAM: As the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Assam is scheduled, an estimated 8.6 million people are preparing to cast their votes in five constituencies on Friday. Around 35 candidates will contest from Kaziranga, Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh and Jorhat seats in this crucial election event.

The voter turnout reflects a major diversity that include 4.28 million male voters, 4.36 million female voters and 123 third-party male voters, highlighting the level of participation in the democratic process largest in the country

The Assam Chief Election Officer (CEO) office has completed extensive preparations to ensure a smooth and transparent election process. The election observers that were appointed by the Election Commission of India will monitor law and order and expenditure during the elections.

Live monitoring and networking facilities will operate as per ECI guidelines to maintain the integrity of the election process. The connectivity of 10,001 polling stations including sample stations, persons with disabilities (PwD) managed stations, and women managed stations will facilitate voting

Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF) have been installed at each polling station, ensuring facilities like drinking water, waiting rooms, facilities for PWDs and senior citizens. On the other hand the technology plays an important role in improving access and participation, including assisting PWD voters in online registration for transport facilities such as enabled mobile applications.

A dedicated staff of 40,004 Presiding Poll Officers, supported by 10,001 Ballot Units (BUs), Control Units (CUs), and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines, will monitor the election process to ensure that Micro -observers have gone ethical at important polling stations.

Voting will begin at 7 a.m. and end at 5 p.m., before mock voting takes place 90 minutes before it begins. In addition, the postal election office has been extended to senior citizens above 85 years of age, PWDs and essential employees, encouraging electoral inclusion.

In order to increase voter turnout, awareness campaigns have been conducted under the Scheme of Vote Comparison and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme, the adoption of which has been encouraged by national symbols and self-help groups they are not actively involved in this celebration of democracy.

The upcoming elections in Assam are poised to be a landmark democratic event, with lakhs of voters preparing to exercise their franchise and shape the politics of the state.

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