Guwahati, 9 April

Seven people were held in connection with election-related violence at two places in Assam, officials said on Thursday. Besides, minor clashes also erupted at several polling booths after voting began in the morning, with people suffering minor injuries, they said.

Meanwhile, an estimated 84.42 per cent voter turnout was recorded as polling ended at 5pm in all 126 Assembly constituencies of Assam, surpassing the previous 82.04 per cent voting in the 2021 elections, officials said.

The BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term in power in Assam, while the Congress is striving to reclaim a state it lost a decade ago. Dalgaon recorded the highest voting at 94.57 per cent, while the lowest turnout was in Amri at 70.40 per cent, they said.

A total of 722 candidates are in the fray in this single-phase election, which is largely witnessing a direct contest between the BJP-led ruling coalition and the opposition bloc helmed by the Congress.

Votes were cast at 31,490 polling stations across 35 districts of the state, with polling commencing at 7 am and continuing till 5 pm, the officials said.

Sporadic violence in Assam

Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Akhilesh Kumar Singh, told PTI that violence took place in Tamulpur and Sivasagar on Wednesday night, hours before polling began for the Assembly elections at 7 am.

"We got reports of a clash between two groups at Tamulpur last night. Police reached the spot immediately and tried to control the crowd. When they did not listen, a few rounds were fired in the air to disperse the mob," he said, adding that four people were arrested from the site.

In another incident, two to three members of a political party were attacked in Sivasagar, the IG said.

"We have detained three persons there. The investigation is going on," he said.

Akhil Gogoi, who is seeking re-election from the Sibsagar seat, alleged that BJP nominee Kushal Dowari was behind the incident.

In a series of social media posts, Gogoi claimed two people were injured, and their vehicles were also damaged in the attack.

Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Chief Executive Member Hagrama Mohilary said a detailed enquiry will reveal the cause of the clash in Tamulpur.

"The situation is normal now. We are monitoring it, and there is enough security presence to avoid any untoward incident," he said.

Polling is underway for the 126-member Assembly to decide the electoral fate of 722 candidates. It will continue till 5 pm, with 4 May scheduled for the counting of votes.

A number of minor clashes have reported at several polling stations in Sribhumi, Golaghat and Nagaon districts.

"Most of the clashes took place due to heavy rush, with people fighting over breaking the queue," an official said.

At some polling booths in places like Patharkandi, Merapani and Raha, supporters of ruling and opposition parties clashed, he said.

"However, police were already present in those areas, and the situations were handled instantly. The polling is going on uninterrupted," he added.

The BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term in power in these elections, while the Congress is looking to reclaim the state it lost a decade ago.