More than 71.64 pc of voters in Assam cast their votes in first phase of LS polls

Sonitpur (Assam) [India], April 19 : More than 71.64 percent of voters in five parliamentary constituencies of Assam - Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Kaziranga, Dibrugarh and Jorhat, came out to exercise their franchise in the first phase of polls on Friday.
According to the official of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) office, Assam, voting went on in many polling stations even after 5 pm and the final polling percentage might be increased.
In the Sonitpur Lok Sabha seat, 71.34 percent voter turnout has been recorded till 6 pm.
After the conclusion of voting the polling parties reached the respective locations where the strong room had been set up and deposited the EVMs and VVPATs.
Deba Kumar Mishra, District Commissioner and Returning Officer of Sonitpur district told ANI that, polling was peaceful at all the polling booths in the district.
"The voting started at 7 am in Sonitpur and extended beyond the scheduled time of 5 pm at many places where the voter turnout was higher. After the polling ended many polling parties reached Darrang College where the strong room had been set up. Till 5 pm the polling percentage was 69 percent. Last time the voter turnout was 79 percent and we hope that this time it will be increased," Deba Kumar Mishra said.
He further said that there was no report of any untoward incident during the poll day in the district.
Meanwhile, tight security arrangements have been made at the strong room centres.
The second phase of polls for five Lok Sabha seats in Assam will be held on April 26.
The Lok Sabha polls for 14 seats in Assam will be held in three phases starting on April 19. Out of this, voting was conducted for the five seats in the first phase on Friday.
BJP is contesting 11 out of 14 seats in Assam, while its ally parties, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), are contesting in two seats (Barpeta and Dhubri) and UPPL in one seat (Kokrajhar), respectively.