Assam: The vote comes from across the border!

Over 7,000 Indian voters who live outside the barbed wire fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh Border will exercise their franchise today in special polling stations set up for them inside the border fencing in Silchar and Karimganj parliamentary constituencies.

Officials from State Election department said the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel manning the India-Bangladesh border will facilitate their entry to Indian territory in time for casting their votes.

These tiny hamlets on Indian citizens remained outside the border fencing because of the rule as agreed upon by the two countries that the fencing can't be constructed within 150 meters of the Zero Line between the two countries.

During the election day, the Election Commission ensures that those voters living outside the border fencing can vote without much difficulty and sets up special polling stations for them.

Over 3,000 such voters under Silchar constituency and over 4,000 in Karimganj constituency who live outside the border fencing, will vote tomorrow inside the fencing in special poling stations. Four special polling stations in Natanpur Lower Primary School under Katigora Legislative Assembly segment under Silchar Parliamentary constituency have been set up for these voters. Similar, polling stations have been set up under Karimganj constituency also.

Indian citizens living outside the border fencing in a cluster of villages in Mahadevpur area under Silchar parliamentary constituency and many other such citizens under Karimganj Parliamentary constituency usually allowed to come inside the fencing through border gates manned by BSF personnel between 7am  and 5pm every day, but they have to return to their villages before the gate is closed for the day.