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.