All roads lead to polling booths
Assam posts record 78% turnout 75% come out to vote in W. Bengal
guwahati — Over 78 per cent of the 9.5 million electorate cast their ballot on Monday in the first round of assembly elections to pick 65 legislators in Assam, officials said.
Officials said 78.02 per cent turnout was recorded till close of polling, but the percentage was likely to increase as reports were still coming in from some remote constituencies.
The turnout saw an increase from the 2011 assembly election figure, which was 75 per cent.
“The poll percentage is likely to increase as we are waiting for reports from some of the constituencies,” said Additional Chief Electoral Officer Nitin Khade.
Polling started on a brisk note at 7am, as long queues of people started forming in front of the poll- ing stations.
Officials said no violence was reported from anywhere during the first phase of the polls and balloting remained peaceful.
A total of 64 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) developed snags and were replaced.
Gogoi optimistic
Chief Minister Tarun seemed optimistic.
“Polling was good and it was due to the significant increase in the number of young voters. I am hopeful that the Congress will do well,” Gogoi said. “I don’t want to
Gogoi tell you any numbers now, but our seats will increase than in the 2011 elections,” he added.
Gogoi, who cast his ballot in his Titabar constituency, earlier urged people to vote in large numbers.
“The resilience of our democratic polity will be in evidence once again as people come out to exercise their right to vote,” he told the media after casting his ballot.
The BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal also thanked the people for coming out in such large numbers to vote.
“People want change and that is why they have come out in huge numbers. The BJP is going to become the single largest party in the state,” said Sonowal, who is seeking election from Majuli, the world’s largest riverine island.
The 65 constituencies which saw polling on Monday are mainly located in the tea belt, north of the Brahmaputra river and in the Barak Valley. These include three seats reserved for Dalits and 10 for tribals.
The second and final phase of elections to pick a 126-member assembly will take place on April 11. — kolkata — Braving the sweltering heat, over 75 per cent of the 4 million electorate turned out to vote on Monday in the first phase of the assembly polls in 18 constituencies in the Maoist-affected western districts of West Bengal.
The scheduled poll timing in 13 of the 18 constituencies identified as Left Wing Extremism (LWE)affected areas was reduced by two hours and closed at 4pm without any report of violence.
Polling booths opened amid tight security at 7am in the 18 constituencies — nine in Purulia district, three in Bankura and six in West Midnapore.
“Voting has been peaceful so far. As per the last report (3.30pm) 75.61 per cent polling was recorded in all the 18 con- stituencies. While the scheduled time for closing of polling in 13 constituencies was 4pm, voters are still queued up in some of the booths,” said an Election Com- mission official.
The official said 78.08 per cent polling was reported in West Midnapore, 74.61 per cent in Bankura and 73.85 per cent in Purulia.
In five other constituencies — Purulia, Manbazar, Kashipur, Para and Raghunathpur (all in Purulia district) — voting will continue up to 6pm.
The turnout is thus expected to rise, said the official, adding over 300 complaints were received dur- ing the day.
No violence reported
“There has been no report of violence while most of the complaints received were about malfunctioning of EVMs, which were redressed at the earliest,” he added.
For the first phase of the elections, there are 40,09,171 registered voters and 133 candidates.
While a presiding officer in a booth in Purulia was changed following an allegation of trying to influence voters, a section of voters in Piyalsole village under Manbazar constituency in Purulia boycotted voting.
Complaining of lack of development in the area, the villagers said the decision to boycott the polls was taken in advance.
“From hospital to school to even the market, everything is in Manbazar. The road here is virtually non-existent which makes commuting to Manbazar difficult,” said one of the villagers, adding that most of them have to walk several kilometres to fetch drinking water. —