Assam Election: 53.20% exercise franchise till 1 pm

Assam recorded 53.20% polling till 1 pm on Tuesday as polling for 40 seats in the final phase of the assembly elections in Assam was underway to decide the fate of 337 candidates, including senior minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

"As the final phase of #AssamAssemblyPolls commences, I urge all those eligible to vote and fulfill your democratic duty. My earnest appeal, especially to the youth and first time voters, to take part in this great exercise," Assam Chief Minister Sabananda Sonowal tweeted as elections began.

"We will form the government again," Sarma, queuing at a polling station at Amingaon in Guwahati to cast his vote, said. "There're 40 seats in this phase, we are expecting to win on 22 of them, number can be higher. This elections we will win more seats. Last time we had won 84 seats, we are expecting at least 90 seats this time," he told reporters.

Read | Polling underway for 40 seats in final phase of Assam elections

Sarma is a candidate from the Jalukbari Assembly constituency.

The Chief of Bodoland People's Front also urged voters to cast their votes. BPF is part of the Congress-led grand alliance of the opposition parties

Also Read | Violent past behind, promise of jobs and land rights dominate politics in Assam's Bodoland

People wearing masks and maintaining social distance were seen queuing outside polling stations even before the voting began in the 40 constituencies spread over 12 districts.Peaceful polling was seem so far with long queues in most polling stations.

In several polling stations, the first voter and senior citizens were greeted with a 'gamosa' (traditional towel) and, in some cases, with saplings.

Also Read | Assam poll fiasco: 181 votes cast in polling station having only 90 voters; five personnel suspended

Elections are being held amid tight security as 320 companies of security forces were deployed in the third phase, the highest among all the phases.

Altogether 79,19,641 voters -- 40,11,539 men, 39,07,963 women and 139 of the third gender -- are entitled to exercise their franchise in 11,401 polling stations.

Special arrangements were made for the old and disabled to assist them in exercising their franchise.

(Compiled with DHNS, PTI inputs)