Sonitpur readies for upcoming parliamentary elections

A Correspondent

Tezpur: The Sonitpur district administration has geared up for smooth conduct of the upcoming parliamentary elections in the district in a free and fair manner. Addressing mediapersons at a press meet held at the conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Monday, Deputy Commissioner Narsing Pawar, who is District Election Officer for Tezpur Election district and Returning Officer for the 7-Tezpur HPC, informed that the election to the 9-Tezpur HPC would take place in the first phase on April 11, and that there were five Legislative Assembly segments under Tezpur Election district, namely 71-Dhekiajuli, 72-Barchalla, 73-Tezpur, 74-Rangapara and 75-Sootea.

Seeking active cooperation of the media in giving adequate publicity about the fair process of the election process, the Deputy Commissioner said that all necessary steps had been taken to provide adequate security throughout the district in view of the upcoming polls. For smooth conduct of the election process, the district administration has opened various cells under supervision of senior district administration officials and has engaged adequate staff in each of these cells. Altogether 6,112 government employees have been engaged for the elections.

The total number of voters in Tezpur election district is 8,78,114 out of which 4,48,028 are males, 4,30,073 are females and 13 of the third gender. Stating that there were another 2,774 service voters and 4,641 PwD electors, the District Election Officer said that special provisions were being put in place to ensure that all PwD voters could be taken to the polling stations to exercise their voting rights. While wheelchairs will be provided to aid those with locomotor disabilities, ballot paper will be available in Braille for the visually impaired. Awareness campaigns on EVM/VVPAT along with SVEEP activities are being carried out all over the district to ensure maximum turnout during polls. The Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer appealed to the media to give wide publicity about the ongoing process of updation of the electoral roll and informed that those who have attained the age of 18 as on 01/01/2019 may enroll their names in the electoral roll vide Form-6. He also informed that there would be 50 all-women polling stations in Tezpur town.

Superintendent of Police, Kumar Sanjit Krishna said that out of the 1,118 polling stations covering both Sonitpur and Biswanath police districts, 13 have been identified as critical, 157 have been identified as very sensitive while 452 have been identified as sensitive with the rest 496 were comparatively safe. Out of the 1,118 polling stations, 967 fall under Sonitpur police district.

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