Guwahati : With the announcement of dates for the forthcoming Assam Assembly elections expected by the end of this month or in the first week of March, the State administration has already begun preparatory work, even as the Election Commission of India (ECI) weighs whether to conduct the polls in a single phase or in two phases.

Official sources told that Assembly elections in Assam have traditionally been held either in one or two phases, depending largely on security assessments and availability of Central forces. The final decision, however, rests with the Election Commission.

A key factor in determining the number of phases is the deployment of security personnel. If the polls are conducted in a single phase, the Centre would need to provide a substantial number of additional forces to ensure peaceful voting across all constituencies simultaneously.

With several other states also scheduled to go to the polls around the same time, questions remain over whether adequate Central forces can be made available for a single-phase election in Assam.

“In case of a single-phase poll, the force requirement will be significantly higher. Considering simultaneous elections in other states, availability of forces could be a challenge,” a source indicated.

On the other hand, if voting is spread across two phases, security personnel deployed in the first phase can be redeployed for the second phase, reducing the total number of forces required at any given time. This staggered approach is often adopted to optimise security arrangements without overstretching resources.

The Election Commission has already initiated ground-level assessments. A team of Commission officials recently visited Assam and held meetings with senior administrative and police officers to review preparedness and evaluate the prevailing law-and-order situation.

Further consultations are expected next month. The full Commission, led by the Chief Election Commissioner, is scheduled to visit the State on March 18. During the visit, the panel is expected to hold discussions with the Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police and representatives of recognised political parties before finalising the election schedule.

Meanwhile, the State administration has drawn up contingency plans for both scenarios – one-phase and two-phase polls. Officials have assessed force requirements under each option and are proceeding with logistical preparations to ensure smooth conduct of the elections.

Routine arrangements such as identification of polling stations, updating of electoral rolls, training of polling personnel and coordination with law enforcement agencies are already underway.

While political parties have intensified ground-level activities in anticipation of the formal announcement, the final poll schedule will hinge on the Election Commission’s assessment of security, logistics and nationwide electoral commitments.

With the Model Code of Conduct set to come into force immediately after the announcement of dates, the coming weeks are expected to see heightened political activity across the State.