Guwahati: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has placed special emphasis on border districts of the five poll-bound states and a UT, with directives to seal inter-state boundaries to curb illicit movement and maintain peace and order during the elections.Along with 19 central agencies, the commission has instructed the Assam Rifles to ensure heightened vigilance in the states going to polls and in areas bordering these states and UTs, with enhanced checks at inter-state check posts.
With Assam’s strategic location and sensitive borders, the ECI has placed the state at the heart of its poll preparedness drive, signalling a zero-tolerance approach to electoral malpractices in the run-up to the 2026 assembly elections on April 9 at a high-level review meeting to strengthen coordination and ensure free, fair and peaceful polls.Assam shares its borders with six states — Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya — and international boundaries with Bangladesh and Bhutan.The neighbouring border states were directed to extend full cooperation to poll-going states and Union Territories, taking all possible measures to ensure elections remain inducement and violence-free. The commission stressed heightened vigilance in these border districts, directing officials to seal the inter-state borders.The review covered critical areas including law and order management in sensitive districts, seizure of illegal cash, liquor, narcotics and arms, deployment at inter-state check posts and identification of expenditure-sensitive constituencies.The ECI also directed central enforcement and security agencies, including the IT department, GST authorities, Enforcement Directorate (ED), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Assam Rifles, to intensify surveillance and step up coordinated operations, particularly at inter-state check posts.Agencies were asked to act swiftly on actionable intelligence and maximise seizures of illegal inducements in the run-up to the polling.The commission also announced a comprehensive ban on the conduct, publication, or dissemination of exit polls during the ongoing assembly election cycle.In Assam, the restriction will be in force from 7am on April 9, when polling begins until 6.30pm on April 29, marking the conclusion of polling across all phases in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.The order, issued under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, prohibits the display or publicising of exit poll results through print, electronic media, or any other form of communication during the specified period. The move is aimed at ensuring free and fair elections by preventing undue influence on voters while polling is underway in different parts of the country.
