Nagaon Bypoll: 2,307 Polling Teams Reach Stations, Security Tightened Ahead Of Voting

Guwahati, Oct 5: As many as 2,307 polling teams reached their assigned stations across the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency on Monday, a day before voting in the bypoll.

Polling will begin at 7 am on Tuesday and continue till 5 pm.

The teams, comprising polling and presiding officers, left from two distribution centres in Nagaon town — Nagaon Government Boys’ Higher Secondary School and Dawson Higher Secondary and Multipurpose School — covering five Assembly segments. Teams for the three Morigaon district segments departed from Morigaon College.

About 1,000 vehicles have been deployed to transport around 11,535 polling personnel and election material. Teams assigned to Raha and Nagaon-Batadrava will stay overnight at their respective polling stations.

Women to manage 335 booths

The bypoll has also seen a major push for women-managed polling booths. A total of 335 stations — 258 in Nagaon district and 77 in Morigaon — will be managed entirely by women personnel.

Each of the five Assembly segments will have a model polling station with additional voter facilities and special decorations. These are located at Dhing Government Boys’ Higher Secondary School (South Section), Juria Higher Secondary School, Rupahi Higher Secondary School (West Section), Kiranbala Goswami Girls’ Higher Secondary School (East Section) and Raha Girls’ Higher Secondary School (East Section).

Returning Officer and Nagaon District Commissioner Aranyak Saikia inspected the distribution centres through the day and reviewed arrangements, including transport and food for polling teams. He appealed to voters to cast their votes peacefully.

Security tightened across constituency

Security has been tightened across the constituency. Each polling team has been provided with security personnel, while additional police and paramilitary forces have been deployed at 624 polling stations identified as sensitive. Security forces also conducted flag marches at several locations on Monday evening.

The constituency has 1,902,009 voters — 958,595 men, 943,364 women and 50 third-gender voters. A total of 2,112 polling stations, including five auxiliary stations, will be used for the election. Five have been designated model polling stations and 335 will be managed by women.

For election duty, 9,664 polling personnel have been detailed, while 86 micro-observers, 69 flying squad teams and 69 static surveillance teams have been deployed for monitoring and enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.

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Webcasting arranged at all stations

Voting through postal ballots from home for voters aged above 85 and eligible persons with disabilities has already been completed under Section 60(C) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

Webcasting has been arranged at all polling stations to strengthen real-time monitoring.

Fifteen candidates are in the fray for the Nagaon seat. Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Goel has urged voters to turn out in large numbers and exercise their democratic right.

Both Nagaon and Morigaon administrations said all arrangements are in place for a free, fair and secure poll.