JORHAT, April 2 - The General Election Observer for No. 14 Lakhimpur Lok Sabha constituency Surjyamani Lalchand visited Majuli district yesterday to review poll preparedness in the Brahmaputra island district.
A Majuli district official told this newspaper that Lalchand was extended warm welcome by the Majuli Deputy Commissioner-Cum-District Election Officer Debaprasad Misra and Election Officer Mogen Narah at the entry point of Majuli district from Dhakuakhana (Lakhimpur district).
Thereafter, along with Misra and Narah, the General Observer first visited a very remote polling station of the district at Bonoria Sapori in Ujani Majuli via Nayabazar, the official said.
Lalchand inspected the No. 157 Polling Station under Majuli Assembly constituency at the Bonoria Sapori LP School and reviewed the arrangements done for the convenience of the voters at the station.
The official stated that the General Observer took note of the AMFs (Assured Minimum Facilities) to be provided to the voters. The Election Commission of India has directed the district election officers across the country to ensure installation of AMFs like ramp for physically-challanged people and senior citizens, besides making available drinking water facility, toilets and lights for all the voters.
The Bonoria Sapori LP School polling station has a total of 748 voters, which includes 267 male and 259 female voters, the official informed.
At the polling station, Lalchand sought information about the vulnerability and polling history of the area from Misra and Majuli Superintendent of Police Hitesh Chandra Rai, who too had accompanied the General Observer, the official said.
Later, arriving at the Majuli Circuit House at Garamur, Lalchand had a detailed interaction with Misra, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Election) Chinmoy Nath, SP Rai and other district administration officials on poll preparations in the Majuli Assembly seat.
Misra briefed the General Observer about the arrangements put in place for smooth conduct of election and said different teams had been constituted with regard to the monitoring of election expenditure, manpower, transport plan, media monitoring, and randomisation of EVM/VVPAT machines, besides functioning of flying squads and surveillance teams, the official said.
In the evening, the General Observer Lalchand convened a meeting of all Sector and Zonal Officers at the conference hall of the DC�s office where he urged them to personally visit their respective polling stations by April 6, the official informed.
Later, Lalchand also supervised the training session conducted for micro observers at the conference hall.
It may be mentioned that the ECI has appointed Surjyamani Lachand as the General Observer for the 6 Assembly segments of Lakhimpur parliamentary constituency which are located on the North Bank of the Brahmaputra.
The Assembly constituencies are Majuli, Naoboisa, Lakhimpur, Dhakuakhana, Dhemaji and Jonai.
