GUWAHATI: Over 66 per cent of the 2,532 voters on Tuesday cast their votes in the re-polling in four polling stations in three Assembly constituencies in southern Assam. Election officials further said that there was no untoward incident in any of the polling stations under Cachar, Karimganj and Dima Hasao districts.
There were certain irregularities were found in these four polling stations, where normal balloting were held in the second phase of State Assembly polling on April 1, forcing the poll panel to conduct re-polling.
The re-polling was held in Indira M. V. School (Right) under Ratabari (SC) Assembly constituency, Madhya Dhanchari Lower Primary School under Sonai Assembly segment, Khothlir Lower Primary School and Mualdam Lower Primary School both under Halflong (ST) Assembly seat.
Assam Assembly Deputy Speaker and BJP candidate Aminul Haque Laskar, who is contesting from the Sonai Assembly constituency as a BJP nominee, was quizzed twice while five police personnel attached to him were suspended after they allegedly opened fire at the public during the polling on April 1. Laskar, however, had told the media that the security personnel opened fire to protect his life during a clash between the rival political parties. The Opposition parties have demanded his arrest.
At least six polling personnel were suspended in Assam's Dima Hasao district after it was found that a booth — Khothlir Lower Primary School — with 90 valid voters registered 181 votes on April 1.
The re-polling was also held at the Mualdam Lower Primary School in connection with the ballot mismatch in Khothlir Lower Primary School.
The Election Commission earlier suspended the presiding officer, three other polling officials and an armed escort official associated with Indira M. V. School under Ratabari (SC) Assembly constituency after an EVM was found in a BJP candidate's wife's vehicle on April 1. The police also arrested three people in this connection.
The Karimganj District Magistrate (DM) Anbamuthan MP and Cachar Deputy Commissioner (DC) Keerthi Jalli had ordered separate magisterial inquiries into these incidents. The three-phase elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly were held on March 27, April 1 and April 6. The results would be declared on May 2. (IANS)