Assam Tea Sector Faces Policy Crossroads as TAI Flags Land, Wage and Import Concerns

Officials confirmed that the commissioning process is being conducted at venues designated by District Election Officers (DEOs), with technical support from authorised engineers of Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL). The exercise is being carried out under strict supervision to ensure adherence to guidelines laid down by the Election Commission of India.

To maintain transparency, candidates or their authorised representatives are being allowed to remain present during the entire procedure. Authorities emphasized that this measure is aimed at building confidence in the electoral process and ensuring accountability at every stage.

A substantial number of machines are being commissioned for the exercise, including 41,353 Ballot Units (BUs), 45,572 Control Units (CUs), and 44,830 Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units. This includes reserve machines — 9,863 BUs, 14,082 CUs, and 13,340 VVPATs — which have been set aside to address any contingencies.

The state is set to have 31,490 polling stations, with approximately 2.51 crore registered voters expected to participate in the democratic exercise.

As part of the commissioning process, candidate symbols are being uploaded into VVPAT machines using Symbol Loading Units (SLUs). These symbols are displayed in real time on screens, enabling candidates and their representatives to verify their accuracy.

Further enhancing transparency, candidates or their representatives are permitted to randomly select up to five per cent of the machines for mock polling, allowing them to test and validate their functionality.

The office of the Chief Electoral Officer described the commissioning of EVMs as a crucial phase in election preparedness, underscoring its importance in ensuring a free, fair, and credible voting process. Polling for the 126-member Assam Legislative Assembly is scheduled for April 9, with the counting of votes set to take place on May 4.