Elephant ride to polling booths

Guwahati, Apr 2 (UNI) The Election Commission has made arrangement for using pachyderms, country boats and bullock carts in the first phase of election tomorrow in certain remote areas of Assam.

Seven elephants are being pressed into service for carrying polling personnel and materials to hilly and remote areas falling under Kamrup (Rural) and Kamrup (Metropolitan) districts near the state capital.

Three tuskers are being used to carry poll materials to a remote polling station along the Assam-Meghalaya border where there is no motorable road and jungle tracks have remained the only means of surface communication.

Besides, 50 porters will carry essentials for the polling personnel in the remote areas.

Similarly, in Kamrup (metropolitan) district four elephants would be used to carry polling personnel.

Fourteen motorboats, 19 country boats and 40 bullock carts would also be used to carry polling materials to nearly eight inaccessible polling stations in both the districts. In Kamrup (metropolitan) area, one mechanised boat has been requisitioned to travel through the Brahmaputra and carry poll materials.

UNI XC BA MSJ BS1656