Nagaon by-election set to begin today with heightened security and all-women polling stations

A CORRESPONDENT

NAGAON: Polling personnel for the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency by-election, scheduled to begin at 7 am on Tuesday, have reached their respective polling stations.

A total of 2,307 polling teams, comprising polling and presiding officers, departed during the first half of Monday from the Government Boys’ Higher Secondary School and Dawson Higher Secondary and Multipurpose School in Nagaon town for the five Assembly constituencies under Nagaon district. Teams for the three Assembly constituencies of Morigaon district departed from the distribution centre established at Morigaon College.

Most of the polling teams reached their destinations by the afternoon. Arrangements were also made for breakfast and lunch for the officials. Around 1,000 vehicles, both small and large, have been deployed to transport approximately 11,535 polling officials and staff.

Polling teams assigned to the Raha and Nagaon-Batadrova constituencies will spend Monday night at their respective polling stations.

This election has witnessed a significant increase in the deployment of women polling personnel. While 258 polling stations in Nagaon district will be managed exclusively by women, 77 such stations have been established in Morigaon district, taking the total to 335 all-women polling stations.

In addition, one model polling station has been established in each Assembly constituency.

Returning Officer and Nagaon District Commissioner Aranyak Saikia was seen making frequent visits to both distribution centres in Nagaon, closely monitoring arrangements ranging from food and transportation to other logistical requirements. He appealed to voters to exercise their franchise peacefully on Tuesday.

The district administration has made elaborate arrangements to ensure the peaceful conduct of polling, which will be held from 7 am to 5 pm on Tuesday. Additional police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed at 624 polling stations identified as sensitive. Large police contingents were also seen conducting flag marches at several locations on Monday evening as part of security arrangements ahead of polling.

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