Guwahati:In the first phase of Panchayat elections in Assam, 65 percent polling was reported by 3 pm but is expected to increase above 75 percent by the end of the polls, said State Election Commissioner HN Bora.
Bora said, “65 percent voting took place by 3 pm, however, long queues were observed outside the polling stations and thus it is expected to increase above 75 percent.”
He said that polling, by and large, went on peacefully except for a few stray incidents. Bora said that re-polling may be held at 20-25 polling stations out of total 14,077 polling stations across the state. Also, incidents of violence were reported at Dhemaji and Golaghat.
” One man reportedly died in an incident while he was behaving violently with the police but final reports from the Deputy Commissioner are yet awaited,” said Bora.
The first phase polls were held in 16 districts to decide the political fate of 43,515 contestants. A total of 1,40,000 civil employees and one lakh security personnel have been deployed for the two-phased Panchayat polls, on December 5 and December 9 in 26 districts and 14 civil sub-divisions.
Re-polling will take place on December 7 and December 11. The counting of votes will take place on December 12.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]