GUWAHATI:
In a bid to ensure transparency in the electoral process, the Assam government has introduced Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) for the civic body polls.
Informing this on February 9, State Election Commissioner (SEC) Alok Kumar said, “We have taken 5,900 M2 EVMs from Election Commission of India (EVM) on loan. Of them 1,600 EVMs will be used for the polls in Guwahati Municipal Corporation.”
Elections to 80 municipality boards spreading over 26 districts will be conducted on March 6, Kumar said, adding that Silchar Municipality Board elections cannot be notified as the matter is currently under sub-judice of the Gauhati High Court.
Earlier on December 6,2021, the cabinet had decided to use EVMs for the local body polls instead of ballot papers.
According to the poll schedule, while the last date of filing nomination papers is February 15, the date for scrutiny of nomination papers is February 17. The date of withdrawal of the same is February 20 and the counting of votes is scheduled for March 9.
Kumar said 20,000 poll personnel will be required to man the polling process in 2,054 polling stations to elect the 977 ward commissioners.
Keeping in mind the Covid-19 situation in the state, the Assam State Election Commission (ASEC) has banned all kinds of roadshows and rallies this time, Kumar further added.
He also informed that only door-to-door campaigning is allowed with a maximum participation of 15 people.
