Assam panchayat polls: Over 56% voter turnout till 3.30 pm amidst stray incidents of violence

Guwahati: An estimated 56.41 per cent of the 89.59 lakh electorate exercised their franchise till 3.30 pm in the first phase of the Assam panchayat polls on Friday, amidst reports of sporadic incidents of violence in some places, officials said.

Voting began at 7.30 am and concluded at 4.30 pm in 14 districts of the state. However, those who are in the queue even after the scheduled time of close, are entitled to vote, they said.

The exact voting percentage at the end of polling was yet to come, but 56.41 per cent of the electorate had exercised their franchise till 3:30 pm, the officials said.

In the first phase, over 89.59 lakh people, including 44.66 lakh males and 44.93 females, are eligible to cast their votes at 12,916 polling booths.

Lakhimpur district recorded the highest polling of 66.5 per cent, while Dibrugarh recorded the lowest voting figure at 45 per cent.

Incidents of violence have been reported from some places, with voting getting briefly disrupted at a few polling stations, an official said.

Several people have been injured in the violence, he said.

Polling was stopped for one hour at the Boalipar LP school centre of Katigorah in Cachar district, where voting for Mohanpur-Salchapra gaon panchayat was underway, the official said.

"Followers of two independent groups started arguing over some issues followed by an assault. At least two persons were injured at this centre and they were taken to hospital," he said.

Trouble started when a person came to allegedly cast proxy votes and the others protested. Police and other security staff intervened and controlled the situation, he said.

The election observer and other officials rushed to the spot, and additional security was deployed at the particular centre.

"After an hour, the voting started again and progressed peacefully," the official added.

At the Seragi zila parishad in Cachar, Congress candidate Kuber Yadav was injured in an attack by a supporter of a rival party.

"I went to check if my polling agents were inside the booth. Suddenly, BJP supporters came and attacked me," Yadav, who was bleeding from his face, told reporters.

He was taken to a nearby local health centre for treatment.

"Security has been beefed up at the booth," another official said.

Polling in the first phase is being held in the districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Majuli, Jorhat, Golaghat, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Cachar, Hailakandi and Sribhumi.

There are 216 zilla parishads, 94 anchalik panchayats and 1,139 gaon panchayats in the first phase of the polls.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma urged voters to exercise their franchise to strengthen democracy at the grassroots.

''I urge every eligible voter to cast their votes in Phase 1 of the #AssamPanchayatPolls today. Your vote matters and will go a long way in strengthening democracy in the grassroots,'' Sarma said in a post on X.

The second phase of the panchayat elections will be held on May 7 in the districts of Dhubri, South Salmara, Mankachar, Goalpara, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Bajali, Nalbari, Kamrup, Kamrup(Metro), Hojai, Nagaon, Morigaon and Darrang.

Repoll, if any, for the first phase will be held on May 4 and for the second phase on May 9.

The counting of votes for both phases will take place on May 11.

A total of 348 zila parishad and anchalik parishad candidates have been already elected uncontested, as the ruling NDA established a lead with 325 seats, according to the Assam State Election Commission.

The NDA has secured 37 zila parishads (35 BJP and 2 AGP) and 288 anchalik panchayats (259 BJP and 29 AGP) seats unopposed, it said.

Independents have won 15 anchalik parishad seats, the Congress nine and the AIUDF one seat uncontested.

Panchayat polls are being held for the first time after the delimitation of constituencies in Assam.

Seven districts of the state are under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, where autonomous council polls are held.