Assam Panchayat Polls: Voter Turnout and Uncontested Victories Highlight Day One

The first phase of Assam's panchayat elections saw a voter turnout of 8.47% in the initial two hours. With no untoward incidents reported, the elections are being held across 14 districts. The ruling NDA secured numerous seats uncontested, with polls being held post-delimitation of constituencies.

The first phase of Assam's panchayat polls kicked off on Friday, with an estimated 8.47% of the electorate voting in the opening two hours. Officials confirmed the peaceful commencement across 14 districts, with polling scheduled to continue until 4:30 PM.

Among the districts, Lakhimpur led with a 14% turnout, whereas Dibrugarh lagged at 7%. Voter eligibility in this phase extends to over 89.59 lakh people, distributed across 12,916 polling booths. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma encouraged citizens to cast their votes, emphasizing the grassroots strengthening of democracy.

The first phase also saw the ruling NDA consolidating its position, with 348 zila and anchalik parishad candidates already elected unopposed. Notably, the BJP and AGP secured significant uncontested victories. The elections follow the recent delimitation of constituencies and are the first of their kind since the constitutional alterations.

(With inputs from agencies.)