EVM glitches reported in Assam; voter turnout nears 12 pct

An estimated 11.61 per cent of the 69,10,592 electorate exercised their franchise in five parliamentary seats of Assam in the second phase polling on Thursday. Polling is being held in 8,992 polling booths in Karimganj (SC), Silchar, Autonomous District(ST), Nowgong and Mangaldoi constituencies.

Reports of EVM glitches have been reported from several booths in all the five constituencies and efforts are on to correct the snags, an election official said. Silchar recorded the highest polling at 13.29 per cent followed by 12 per cent in Autonomous District (ST), 11.82 per cent in Karimganj (SC), 11.32 per cent in Mangaldoi and 9.62 per cent in Nowgong.

Women and first-time voters were seen flocking to the booths even before polling began. Among the prominent persons to vote early in the day are AIUDF sitting MP Radheyshyam Biswas from Karimganj, BJP MLA and party candidate from Silchar Dr Rajdeep Roy, BJP candidates from Mangaldoi Dilip Saikia and Rupak Sharma from Nowgong.

Prominent candidates in the fray are Sushmita Dev, Biren Singh Engti, Radheshyam Biswas, Rupak Sharma, Rajdeep Roy, Kripanath Mallah and Prodyut Bordoloi from Nowgong. Fifty candidates are contesting in the five constituencies. Of these, three candidates are women. Among the total electorate of 69,10,592, there are 35,54,460 male, 33,55,95 women and 180 of the third gender.