State gears up for first phase of Panchayat polls with tight security & smooth logistics

Guwahati, May 1: As the first phase of Assam’s panchayat elections kicks off on May 2, the state is witnessing a flurry of preparations across key districts.

Sribhumi, Dibrugarh, Cachar, Hailakandi, and Margherita are among the 14 districts where polling officials, law enforcement, and election authorities are working round-the-clock to ensure a peaceful, fair, and smooth election process.

Sribhumi: Coordination and security on high alert

In Sribhumi, District Commissioner Pradip Kumar Dwivedi assured that preparations are proceeding well ahead of schedule. "We are closely monitoring and coordinating all poll-related activities to ensure a free and fair election," he said.

Highlighting concerns over last-minute voter rush, the DC added, “I urge citizens not to wait until 3:30 or 4:00 pm to cast their votes. If everyone arrives late, it leads to chaos at the polling stations. Let’s all cooperate to maintain peace and order.”

Superintendent of Police Partha Pratim Das confirmed that adequate police personnel have been deployed. “Every polling station is manned by constables, and we have alerted the BSF along the international border, as well as security forces at the Assam-Tripura interstate border,” he said.

Sribhumi will see 47 candidates contesting for 16 Zilla Parishad seats, 232 candidates for 95 Anchalik Panchayat seats, and 2,545 candidates vying for 950 Gaon Panchayat seats.

Polling officers undergoing verification process 

Dibrugarh: Women-led booths & massive voter turnout expected

In Dibrugarh, voting will be held at 1,165 polling stations from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. District Commissioner informed that polling would be held for 22 Zilla Parishads, 7 Regional Panchayats, and 930 Gaon Panchayat wards under 93 village panchayats.

Notably, 62 polling stations will be exclusively manned by women officers. A robust team of 53 sector officers, 22 zonal officers, 1,165 presiding officers, and 4,660 polling officials have been deployed.

Dibrugarh has 8,71,975 registered voters — 4,25,756 male, 4,46,207 female, and 12 third-gender voters. A total of 50 candidates are contesting Zilla Parishad posts, with 3 elected unopposed. Similarly, 206 candidates are running for Regional Panchayat seats (10 unopposed), and 2,147 are contesting for Ward Member posts, with 103 winning uncontested.

Hailakandi: Deployment across sensitive booths

In Hailakandi, polling materials were distributed from SS College field as 3,032 personnel began moving toward 689 polling stations, on Thursday. DC Nisarg Hivare confirmed that 170 of these stations have been identified as sensitive.

“We’ve ensured adequate security at each polling booth — including constables, home guards, CRPF, and commando response teams,” said DC Hivare.

Polling officers leave for their designated stations

The district has 4,49,188 voters and will elect 8 Zilla Parishad members, 5 Anchalik Panchayat members, 62 Gaon Panchayats, and 620 Ward Members.

A total of 66 candidates are contesting Zilla seats, while 261 are contesting for Anchalik Panchayat and 1,892 for Ward Member posts. Five Anchalik and 62 Gaon Panchayat members have been elected unopposed.

However, nominations were not found valid in three ward seats — two from Baruncherra-Kukicherra GP and one from Duttapur-Bagcherra GP.

Cachar: Robust logistical coordination & on-ground reviews

In Cachar district, preparations are being carried out with precision. District Commissioner Mridul Yadav, along with Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta, oversaw the distribution of polling materials at the ISBT and ISTT terminals in Silchar.

DC Yadav conducted a comprehensive inspection of facilities and spoke to polling officers about food quality, logistics, and transport readiness.

“We ensured that every detail — from hygiene to vehicle deployment — was addressed for a seamless polling process,” he said.

Ahead of the polls, a joint training session for civil and police officers was held, where responsibilities were clearly defined and training provided by master trainers to ensure efficiency on polling day.

Margherita - peaceful anticipation and grassroots participation

In Margherita, last-minute preparations were marked by enthusiasm and responsibility. Polling officers gathered early at the Sub-Divisional Commissioner’s Office to collect ballot boxes and materials before departing for 179 polling stations.

Revenue Circle Officer Gyanjyoti Dutta expressed hope for peaceful polling. “Every person is involved at the grassroots level. We wish all polling officers the best and hope everything runs smoothly tomorrow.”

Presiding Officer Chintu Barua added, “All officers are present today to ensure a seamless process. Every detail is being checked in advance.”

The voter count for Margherita stands at 1,46,118.

As the first phase of the panchayat elections begins across 14 districts tomorrow, officials remain optimistic yet cautious.

With thousands of polling personnel deployed and multi-tiered security in place, the state is ready to witness one of its largest grassroots democratic exercises.