North Lakhimpur: Polling personnel along with election materials were dispatched to various polling stations across Lakhimpur district on Tuesday, a day ahead of the Assam Assembly elections scheduled for April 9.
According to the district election department, 4,748 polling personnel have been deployed to conduct voting across 1,079 polling stations, with an additional 10% kept in reserve to meet contingencies.
In a move to promote women’s participation, 110 all-women polling stations have been set up, to be managed by 484 female polling personnel.
For administrative convenience, the district has been divided into 36 civil zones and 122 civil sectors. Authorities have arranged 859 vehicles for transportation, while 14 polling stations in riverine areas will be accessed by boats. One polling station will be managed by the Public Works Department (PWD).
A total of 8,45,476 voters, including nine from the third gender category, are eligible to cast their votes across five Assembly constituencies—Bihpuria, Ranganadi, Nowboicha (SC), Lakhimpur and Dhakuakhana (ST).
Meanwhile, reports of dissatisfaction emerged from the polling material distribution centre at the B-Team playground of North Lakhimpur Government Higher Secondary School. Polling and security personnel alleged inadequate arrangements in the dining hall, claiming that cooked rice ran out before many could be served.
Several personnel said they had arrived at the venue as early as 6 a.m., but found that food stocks were exhausted by lunchtime, leaving many to manage with only vegetables and dal before proceeding to their assigned polling stations.