Silchar, Feb11: All arrangements and preparations in the three districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi are complete to hold the three tier panchayat elections. In all, 82,987 candidates for zilla parishads, gaon panchayat presidents, anchalik panchayat and ward members are in the fray and their fate is to be decided on Tuesday when the votes polled in favour or against will be sealed in the ballot boxes. According to information from the three district headquarters, final touches by the election machinery and administration have been given in order to ensure free and fair polls.
Poll officials and workers with their materials accompanied by security personnel have reached their respective booths located in near and far–flung areas of the valley by this evening. In the district of Hailakandi, 4828 candidates are vying for 11 ZP seats, 62 gaon panchayat presidentship, 62 anchalik panchayat members and 620 ward members. Voters will exercise their franchise in 626 polling booths, 483 of them have been identified as sensitive and hypersensitive. In addition to the regular police force, additional paramilitary security personnel will be deployed for trouble free elections. In order to prevent the repeat of 2008 chaos and anarchy on the polling day, the district administration headed by J Balaji, deputy commissioner and returning officer, and Brajendra Singha, SP, of the district, is not taking any chances and has made elaborate security arrangement across the booths.
5586 candidates are contesting for 20 ZP seats, 96 gaon panchayat presidents and equal number of anchalik panchayat members as well as 960 ward members in Karimganj district. 971 polling booths across the border district along Bangladesh, according to the report from Karimganj, will have particular surveillance and vigilance. The Border Security Force has been advised for maximum alert and vigilance along the international border in order to preempt any infiltration of disruptive elements to disturb the polling process.
In the district of Cachar, 72,573 are locked in poll battle for the 27 member zilla parishad, 167 for gaon panchayat presidents, 163 for anchalik panchayat members and 1630 for group members, also called ward members. 1669 polling booths across the district have become ready for Tuesday elections. Of them, 409 have been identified as sensitive and hypersensitive. With a view to holding peaceful elections in the district, an all party meeting was held in the conference hall of the district returning officer and deputy commissioner, Harendra Kumar Dev Mahanta, who apprised the leaders of the poll preparations and sought their cooperation in the smooth conduct of polls. M. Angamuthu is the observer for Cachar panchayat elections. (Source:SentinelAssam)