In Assam’s shifting river isles, EC team checks last-mile poll preparedness
Taking a challenging visit to some of the most remote polling stations in Chabua-Lahowal LAC, the team assessed necessary steps including polling stations numbered 169, 170, & 171
EC team reviewing poll preparedness across remote polling stations in Assam’s Chabua-Lahowal LAC (Photo: AT)
Dibrugarh, March 31: In the shifting sands of Assam’s riverine belts, where land itself is uncertain, the promise of democracy remains steady and unwavering.
In its bid to take democracy to even the farthest frontiers, a team of Election Commission observers undertook a challenging visit to some of the most remote polling stations in Assam’s Chabua-Lahowal Assembly constituency.
Led by general observer TN Venkatesh, police observer Rajendra Kumar Meena and expenditure observers – Prithviraj and Adarsh Tiwari, the delegation visited the Dadhia Middle English School and several other polling stations nestled deep within the district’s char-chapori (riverine) regions on Saturday.
Senior district officials, including Additional Deputy Commissioner Pranjal Baruah and Assistant Commissioner Surabhi Srivastava, accompanied the team.
These river islands, shaped and reshaped by the mighty Brahmaputra, often remain cut off from the mainland, their people living at the margins of geography yet firmly within the heart of India’s democratic spirit.
The observers inspected polling stations numbered 169, 170, and 171, carefully reviewing election preparedness in these isolated pockets.
From security arrangements to logistical planning, the team assessed whether every necessary step had been taken to ensure that voting is conducted smoothly, safely, and with dignity.
The district has a total of 1,322 polling stations, of which five are located in these difficult-to-reach char areas.
For election officials, reaching these centres is itself an arduous journey, navigating the vast, unpredictable waters of the Brahmaputra by boat, carrying not just election materials but also the weight of responsibility to uphold every citizen’s right to vote.
The observers interacted closely with election personnel, emphasizing the importance of timely transportation, robust security measures and the availability of minimum essential facilities at each polling station.
They stressed seamless coordination among departments to guarantee the safe movement of both polling teams and sensitive materials in these river-bound regions.