Buckle up, election fans! Arunachal Pradesh is shaking things up in a vibrant way for its upcoming municipal elections. The State Election Commission (SEC) has rolled out a brand-new on-the-spot voting system for poll duty staff — a first-ever move that promises to make voting easier and more thrilling! No longer will these hardworking personnel depend on postal ballots to cast their votes. How does this spicy new system work? SEC Secretary Taru Talo set the ball rolling with an order on November 27, 2025. Polling staff from Itanagar and Pasighat, the two buzzing cities holding civic polls, must apply to their local municipal returning officer at least three days before voting day. They also need to show a copy of their election duty appointment order. Enter the Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO), the unsung hero! After verifying the staff’s identity and duty order, the MRO will put their name on the voter list and hand over a ballot paper for on-the-spot voting. The MRO decides when and where this voting will happen — but here’s the twist: candidates or their agents get informed and must be present, ensuring full transparency. Voting is easy-peasy. Workers either seal their ballot in an envelope for the MRO or use the ballot box method under the Election Duty Certificate (EDC). The MRO keeps a secure copy of the ballot paper to keep everything above board. This dazzling decision is backed by the powerful Article 243ZA of the Constitution, designed to make sure no election officer misses their democratic right. Brilliant! Mark your calendars: December 15, 2025, is the big day for not just the third municipal elections in Itanagar and Pasighat but also the 12th panchayat elections across Arunachal Pradesh — all happening simultaneously. Let's talk numbers! The state boasts 27 zilla parishads with 245 constituencies and 2,103 gram panchayats featuring 8,181 constituencies. Itanagar Municipal Corporation shines with 20 wards, while Pasighat Municipal Council has 8. A whopping 8,31,648 voters are all set to cast their ballots, with 7,59,210 in the panchayat and 72,438 in the municipal elections. Upper Subansiri district tops the charts with 61,142 panchayat voters, while Dibang Valley has the fewest at just 4,249. Within the cities, Itanagar's ward number 19 boasts the largest voter crowd (5,106), compared to Pasighat's smallest ward 6, which has only 812 voters. For the panchayat elections, SEC has arranged 2,171 polling stations; the Itanagar Municipal Corporation has 67, and Pasighat Municipal Council 12. High-tech Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will sparkle at municipal booths, while traditional ballot boxes will charm the panchayat polls. To manage this electoral fiesta, over 40,000 personnel, including 15,000 polling staff, will be deployed. And wait for it—the thrilling vote counting will take place on December 20! So, Arunachal Pradesh is ready for an epic democratic celebration filled with innovation, fairness, and community spirit. Watch out, this election season is set to dazzle!