Lok Sabha election: Polling passes peacefully with 71.38% turnout in Assam

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Polling for the first phase of the Lok Sabha election in the state passed off peacefully today without any untoward incidents, other than a few EVMs that had to be replaced due to technical snags. The estimated poll turnout was more than 71.38% at 7 p.m.

The fate of 35 candidates, including Union cabinet minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Gaurav Gogoi, Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, Pradan Baruah, and others, is now sealed in the EVMs after the conclusion of polling in the first phase of the election in five parliamentary constituencies in Assam. Polling in the first phase was held in the five parliamentary constituencies of Kaziranga, Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, and Jorhat today.

More than 70% of the total number of around 86.47 lakh voters, of which male voters numbered about 42.82 lakh and females constituted nearly 43.64 lakh voters, exercised their franchise in 10,001 polling stations in the five parliamentary constituencies in the state.

In the polling that started at 7 a.m. today, the percentage of voters voting until 9 a.m. was 11.15; between 9 and 11 a.m., it was 27.22%; from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., it was 45.12%; from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., polling stood at 60.70%; and until 5 p.m., it went up to 70.77%. As people were seen lined up to vote at numerous polling stations even beyond 5 p.m., the polling percentage is set to see an increase.

Official sources said that polling passing off smoothly in Assam in the first phase is a good sign. They said that more than 70% of people came out of their homes without fear to vote. A festive atmosphere prevailed at the polling stations in the state as people came to vote decked up in their best attire. There was no untoward incident reported from anywhere in the state. The security personnel posted at the polling stations also did not have much to do except ensure that people stood in line to vote.

 Also Read: Lok Sabha polls: 18 file nominations so far in Assam (sentinelassam.com)

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