Dhubri, May 3: With counting day for the 2026 Assembly elections approaching, Dhubri district has been placed under heightened security as authorities finalised extensive arrangements for the counting process at Gauripur PC Institution Higher Secondary School, the designated strong room centre for Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
District Commissioner Megha Nidhi Dahal confirmed that all preparations are in place for counting votes across five Assembly constituencies — Golakganj, Gauripur, Dhubri, Birsingh Jarua and Bilasipara. A comprehensive security cover has been deployed around the premises, where 1,548 EVMs are secured under continuous CCTV surveillance and paramilitary protection. These machines hold the electoral outcome of 33 candidates contesting from the constituencies.
To facilitate a smooth and transparent counting process, the administration has established five dedicated counting halls, each equipped with 14 tables for EVM counting, along with eight additional tables for postal ballots and mail-in votes. Officials stated that counting will be conducted in 28 rounds for each constituency.
In accordance with guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India, VVPAT slips from five randomly selected polling stations in every constituency will be physically verified to validate electronic results.
Among the constituencies, Gauripur is expected to witness the most prolonged counting exercise due to its 384 polling stations, necessitating the full 28-round cycle. The district recorded a voter turnout of 95.21 per cent, with 12,20,384 voters participating in the election.
As a precautionary measure to maintain law and order following the declaration of results, the district administration has prohibited victory rallies and the bursting of firecrackers. Dahal stated that all necessary steps have been taken to ensure a peaceful and transparent counting process, with the security of the strong room and counting centres remaining the top priority.
The number of candidates contesting in each constituency includes four in Golakganj, nine in Gauripur, five in Dhubri, nine in Birsingh Jarua and six in Bilasipara. Counting is expected to proceed through multiple rounds, with initial trends likely to emerge by the afternoon and final results anticipated later in the day.
