Assam: Bajali gears up for peaceful panchayat polls, strict prohibitory measures imposed

With Panchayat elections slated for May 7, the Bajali district administration has rolled out a series of stringent measures to ensure the polling process remains peaceful and orderly. As part of the preparations, presiding and polling officers were dispatched today to 295 polling stations across the district after comprehensive briefings and arrangements, including meals provided by the authorities.

District Commissioner Mridul Kumar Das has issued prohibitory orders aimed at preserving law and order during the sensitive election period. The orders enforce a ban on gatherings of more than four individuals in public spaces during the crucial 48-hour window after polling concludes. Any form of unlawful assembly or public meeting during this time has been strictly forbidden.

Further tightening the code of conduct, the administration has barred political leaders, campaign workers, and individuals not registered as voters in the respective constituencies from remaining in polling areas during the elections. The use of provocative, communal, caste-based, or racially inflammatory language and slogans to sway voters has also been outlawed. Similarly, dissemination of such content through banners, posters, wall writings, or pamphlets is prohibited.

Candidates and their supporters have been instructed not to wear party-affiliated items such as caps, shawls, or attire bearing political symbols or slogans within polling station premises. Private vehicles, including those belonging to voters’ families, will be restricted within a 200-meter radius of polling centers. Additionally, the use of microphones, loudspeakers, and other public address systems to campaign near polling areas has been banned.

Commissioner Das has cautioned that violators of these orders will face strict legal action. On the administrative front, arrangements for breakfast and lunch for all polling staff have been made, with reports indicating satisfaction among the deployed personnel.