25 percent votes cast in first three hours in Assam

At least 25 per cent of the 1,04,35,271 electorate exercised their franchise amidst tight security during the first three hours of polling in the second and final phase of Assembly elections in Assam today.

Voters, particularly women and first time voters, stood in queues at the polling booths two hours ahead of the commencement of polling at 7 AM for the remaining 61 seats.

Ruling Congress, the BJP-AGP-BPF alliance and the AIUDF are locked in a keen battle along with other political party contestants and Independents.

There were reports of malfunctioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in some polling centres which disrupted voting for some time but the election process continued uninterrupted once they were replaced, election office said.

Former two-time Chief Minister and Asom Gana Parishad leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta along with his wife former MP Dr Jayashree Mahanta voted in Barhampur and AIUDF president Badruddin Ajmal, who claims he will be the "king-maker" in the formation of the next government, also cast his vote.

No untoward incident has been reported so far from the constituencies where intense security arrangements have been put in place, particularly in Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) where NDFB(S) militants are active and in Goalpara Election district which recently witnessed a



bomb blast incident that killed three persons.

Today's polling will decide the political fate of 525 contestants in 61 of the 126 Assam Assembly constituencies.

The first phase of polling in the state on April 4 had witnessed an 82.20 per cent voter turnout in 65 Assembly constituencies. 

Sporadic incidents of violence occurred as around 20 per cent electorate cast their vote in the initial hours during polling in 31 Assembly seats in West Bengal today.

The turnout in seats spread over three districts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Burdwan districts in the second part of the first phase was was 19.95 per cent till 9 AM, election officials said.

Voting began at 7 AM with a large number of people turning up to avoid the scorching sun as day time temperatures are crossing 40 degree Celsius.

Five-time CPI-M MLA from Narayangarh and Leader of Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra was among the early voters.

Two bags containing bombs were found near booth number 35 in Jamuria by the police. In the same constituency, a CPI(M) agent was injured after he was allegedly beaten up by Trinamool Congress workers and obstructed from entering a polling booth.

Around 70 lakh people are eligible to cast their votes today. The fate of 163 candidates, including 21 women, will be decided.