LS polls: EC gears up for phase 1 in Assam, vehicles carrying EVMs equipped with GPS devices

Guwahati (Assam) [India], April 17 (ANI): As the first phase of Lok Sabha elections will be held on April 19, the Election Commission is geared up to ensure a free and fair election. The Chief Electoral Officer of Assam, Anurag Goel said that all the vehicles carrying EVMs will be equipped with GPS tracking devices and satellite phones will be made available in far-flung areas.
"We have arranged GPS tracking of all the vehicles which will be carrying EVMs and this will be monitored by the District Election Officer, CEO and Election Commission. We have also provided satellite phones in very hard-to-reach areas," said Anurag Goel.
"Dry day has been declared the 48 hours before poll up to closing the poll of first phase and paid holiday has been declared for all the government as well as non-government private sector staff so that they can take part in this democratic festival and cast their votes in order to choose a responsible government," Anurag Goel added further.
The Chief Electoral Officer, Assam also showed confidence in conducting a free and fair election as observers have been put in all the constituencies. Five constituencies Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Kaziranga and Sonitpur will undergo polls on April 19.
"Around 86.47 lakh voters will exercise their votes in 10,001 polling stations. The campaigning for the first phase of polls ended on Wednesday at 5 pm. In the first phase, we have around 86.47 lakh voters out of which around 42,000 are 80+ age voters, 1500 voters are 100+ age. There are more than 58,000 PWD voters of which around 13,000 are visually impaired and we have made special arrangements for braille ballot papers," said Anurag Goel.
"The Assam Election department has already distributed to the voter's information guide, slips which will enable them to find out and reach out to the polling stations. There are 10,001 polling stations that have been set up and out of these 219 polling stations are critical, but we are arranging webcasting in around 5500 polling stations putting 11,000 cameras. This webcasting will be visible to the district election officers, CEO and Election Commission of India," Anurag Goel added. (ANI)