HT Correspondent
SIVASAGAR, March 17: Following the declaration of the election schedule for the 2024 Jorhat Parliamentary constituency by the Election Commission of India, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come into effect for all political parties and candidates in the Sivasagar segment. Aditya Vikram Yadav, the district commissioner and district election officer of Sivasagar, along with Sugat Siddhartha Goswami, addressed the media and representatives of different political parties in Sukapha Bhawan, briefing them on the dos and don’ts as laid down in the MCC.
The Sivasagar segment comprises two Legislative Assembly constituencies, Sivasagar and Demow, with a total of 380,009 voters and 481 polling stations (269 in Sivasagar and 212 in Demow).
The district administration has initiated steps to remove all banners and hoardings displaying government advertisements from offices, private establishments, and public areas of the district within 72 hours of the notification of the MCC. DC Sivasagar urged political parties to adhere to the rules and regulations set by the Commission during the election period to ensure a peaceful environment for voters to exercise their franchise. He expressed hope for an 85 percent voter turnout in the district with everyone’s cooperation and urged all to share information about any incidents or individuals that may disrupt the elections with the district administration.
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Sugata Siddhartha Goswami briefed the meeting on the detailed clauses of the MCC and informed that new voters can fill their forms until March 20. The meeting was attended by senior journalists Manoj Kumar Borthakur, Pradip Gogoi, Jayjyoti Gogoi, Manoj Gogoi, Vikash Kumar, and representatives of various political parties.
Our Jagiroad correspondent adds: The Morigaon district commissioner convened a meeting with representatives of various political parties in the district on Saturday at the conference room of the District Commissioner’s Office to ensure the smooth conduct of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. District commissioner Devashish Sharma outlined the guidelines to be followed by political parties and the allocated expenditure for them. He urged the political parties to remain vigilant to prevent violations of the Model Code of Conduct for Elections. Additionally, he emphasised that human conscience is, in fact, the model code of conduct.
Sharma sought the cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure peaceful, healthy, and fair elections without tolerating any divisive elements in society. He also urged people to be vigilant so that the comments of any political leader do not instigate violence, and no one makes provocative or aggressive comments on personal lives.
The meeting was attended by additional district commissioner (elections) Sulakshana Barpatragohain, election officer Jagriti Kalwar, and representatives of various political parties including BJP, Congress, Assam Gana Parishad, Aam Aadmi Party, and AIUDF. The district commissioner also held discussions with the heads of each department in the district, directing them to strictly adhere to the Model Code of Conduct. He urged departmental officers to ensure that no new development schemes are initiated or inaugurated until the conclusion of the election process in compliance with the Model Code of Conduct.
Our Biswanath Chariali correspondent adds: Following the announcement of the general election date by the Election Commission of India, the district commissioner of Biswanath, Dr Neha Yadav, organised a press conference on Sunday at the conference hall of the commissioner’s office. Addressing the press conference, the district commissioner cum district election officer, Dr Yadav, stated that the declaration for the Biswanath election district will be made on March 20, and the last date for filing nominations is March 28. The Biswanath election district will cover 70 no Biswanath LAC and 71 no Behali LAC.
Nominations will be verified on March 28, and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is March 30. The voting will be held on April 19.
The commissioner sought all sorts of cooperation from the general public for the smooth and fair functioning of the election process. She further added that there are 218 voting booths in Biswanath LAC, whereas there are 176 booths in Behali LAC. There are 1,86,245 voters in Biswanath LAC and 1,54,037 voters in Behali LAC. The press conference was attended by representatives of various political parties, Diganta Boishya, CEO, Dhrubajyoti Das, ADC, Pratisha Dutta, election officer, Puspankar Patir, assistant commissioner, besides others.
Our Nagaon correspondent adds: In connection with the upcoming Lok Sabha election 2024, district commissioner Narendra Kr Shah addressed a press conference at his conference hall on Sunday and informed that the district administration has completed all preparations to conduct a free, fair, and transparent election in the district.
He ascertained that out of the six LACs under Nagaon election district, the voters from Barhampur assembly constituency would exercise their franchise to elect their representative in the Kaziranga parliamentary constituency in the first phase scheduled to be held on April 19. Meanwhile, the voters of Nagaon – Batadroba, Dhing, Samaguri, Rupahihat, and Raha assembly constituencies under Nagaon election district will exercise their franchise for Nagaon parliamentary constituency in the second phase scheduled to be held on April 26.
In these six assembly constituencies under Nagaon election district, over 13,12,144 voters, including 6,57,768 males, 6,54,298 females, and 78 third genders, will exercise their franchise in the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls.
Briefing on preparedness for the ensuing general election, he said that a total of 3 educational institutions – Dawson HS and Multipurpose School, Nagaon Govt Boys’ HS, and Nagaon Govt Girls’ HS School respectively, were selected for strong rooms, counting centers, material distribution, as well as the receive centers.
All political messages inscribed in public places or others will be removed by 5 pm on the next Tuesday. Three flying squad teams and three statistical surveillance teams in each of the assembly constituencies under Nagaon election district have already been deployed to conduct a free, fair, and transparent election in the district, DC Shah said, adding that the administration is aiming to enable live vote casting at 788 polling stations among the total 1426 polling stations under Nagaon election district this time.
In the press conference, superintendent of police, Nagaon Swapnil Deka, mentioned that based on previous records, over 13 vulnerable pockets were identified in Nagaon election district. Similarly, 358 polling stations under Samaguri, Rupahihat, and Dhing assembly constituencies were also identified as critical and sensitive this time.
Our Jorhat correspondent adds: Altogether 17,18,272 voters will decide the fate of the Jorhat Lok Sabha constituency (14 number HPC), comprising 10 Assembly segments spread across Jorhat, Sivasagar, Charaideo, and Majuli island districts.
Addressing newspersons at the conference hall of the Jorhat District Commissioner’s Office complex here on Sunday, Jorhat district commissioner Pulak Mahanta, who is also the returning officer of the parliamentary seat, said out of the total number of voters, 846,754 were male and 871,516 were female.
The number of transgender voters is two; above 100 years voters are 115; persons with disabilities voters are 12,265, and young voters (18-19 years) are 29,462. The total number of polling stations is 2,068. The Sivasagar assembly seat with 207,605 voters has the highest number of voters among the ten LACs of the Jorhat parliamentary constituency.
The returning officer informed that apart from having several all-women polling stations, there would be youth polling stations manned by polling personnel below 40 years. There would also be some model polling stations across the parliamentary constituency.
Polling in the Jorhat Lok Sabha will be in the first phase – April 19 next. Mahanta said that the Jorhat and all other district and sub-divisional administrations have fully geared up to conduct the elections in a free, fair, and peaceful manner, and all necessary measures in this regard were underway.
Mahanta said that the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) had come into effect from 3 pm on Saturday after the Election Commission announced the election schedule, and steps have been initiated to ensure complete adherence to the MCC by the political parties and candidates. Cautioning that stern action would be taken against any person, party, organisation found violating the MCC, he stated that a control room has been set up at the Jorhat Circuit House for the elections with the number 0376-2999038.
Mahanta said that teams have been formed to prevent the use of money and muscle power or any other malpractice to influence voters, and they were already on the job. A close watch on social media and other media would be kept to prevent the spread of misinformation and paid news, the Returning Officer said.
Jorhat superintendent of police Shwetank Mishra, who was present on the occasion, said that all necessary steps have been undertaken to provide security during the election process. Mishra said that Central Armed Police Forces personnel would be coming to the district to assist the local police personnel during the poll process. He said that non-bailable warrants were being executed by the police as part of the security arrangements.
