Assam Assembly Elections: Voting in Phase 1 Comes to an End
Catch all the live updates on the Assam Assembly elections here.
According to the Election Commission of India, 72.14 percent voter turnout was recorded till 6 PM as voting for the first phase of Assam Assembly Elections 2021 ended on Saturday, 27 March, Election Commission data said.
Voters in 47 out of the state's 126 constituencies exercised their franchise on Saturday.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal cast his vote at a polling centre in Dibrugarh in the first phase 1 elections and stated that his party “will get more than 100 seats.”
Tight security arrangements have been put in place across 12 districts in Assam as the state goes to polls.
The first phase will decide the fate of 264 candidates, including Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, state Congress chief Ripun Bora and 23 women candidates.
- The 126-member Assam Assembly is going to the polls in three phases – on 27 March, 1 April and 6 April.
- The results will be declared on 2 May
- According to the Election Commission, 8,109,815 voters, including 4,032,481 females, can cast their votes across 11,537 polling stations, mostly covering the eastern part of the state
- In the 2016 elections, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance secured 35 of the 47 seats while the remaining went to Congress and other parties
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It's Congress vs BJP
In the election campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J P Nadda, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Shivraj Singh Chouhan have campaigned extensively for all BJP candidates across the state.
Meanwhile, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, AICC spokesman Gourav Vallabh and Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala were among those who campaigned for the party candidates in Assam.
What Have the Parties Promised?
The ruling BJP is highlighting the "perfect NRC (National Register of Citizens)" more, while the main Opposition Congress has given top priority to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
The Congress has promised "Five Guarantees" to the voters in its manifesto, including restarting the process of NRC; repealing the CAA; Rs 365 daily wage to tea garden workers; 5 lakh jobs in five years; Rs 2,000 per month to housewives and 200 units free electricity per household.
The BJP's 'Sankalp Patra' said that there are 10 main focal issues in the manifesto to be implemented in letter and spirit after the party comes to power for a second term in Assam. The saffron party's main promises include controlling floods in Assam, empowering the women under the state's flagship scheme "Orunodoi", and increasing the monthly payment of Rs 830 to Rs 3,000 covering 30 lakh deserving families.
PM Modi Urges 'Young Friends to Vote' As Polls Open
Rupahi in Nagaon District Witnesses Large Voter Turnout
JP Nadda Urges Voters to Follow COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviour As Polls Open
“Today is the first phase of voting in the Assam Assembly elections. I request all voters to participate in this holy festival of democracy in maximum number and set a new voting record. Also, wear masks and maintain social distancing,” he said in his tweet.
Voters Follow Physical Distancing in Jorhat
Photo courtesy: Anjana Dutta
Himanta Biswa Sarma Urges Voters to Go Out in Large Numbers
8.84 Percent Voter Turnout as of 9 AM: Election Commission
According to the Election Commission of India, 8.84% and 7.72% voter turnout was recorded till 9 am, in the first phase of polling in Assam and West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021 respectively.
Voters Felicitated with Gamusa and Plant Saplings in Nagaon District
(Photo Courtesy: CEO Assam/ Twitter)
'Vote for Progress, Golden Future of Assam' : Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday, 27 March, asked people of Assam to vote for progress, golden future of state as polling begins for first phase of assembly elections, reported PTI.
Proposed Administrative Divisions in Assam
Here is the list of proposed administrative divisions in Assam:
Assam Hills: Dima Hasao, East Karbi Anglong, and West Karbi Anglong districts
Barak Valley: Cachar, Hailakandi, and Karimganj districts
Bodoland: Baksa, Chirang, Kokrajhar and Udalguri districts
Central Assam: Hojai, Morigaon and Nagaon districts
Kamrup: Darrang, East Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Kamrup Rural, and South Kamrup districts
Lower Assam: Barpeta, Bajali, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, Goalpara, Nalbari, and South Salmara-Mankachar districts
North Assam: Biswanath, Lakhimpur, and Sonitpur districts
Upper Assam: Charaideo, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar and Tinsukia districts
In the first phase of polling, all the seats in Upper and North Assam will be voting in addition to five constituencies in central Assam all of which fall in the Nagaon district.
Read the full story here.
'Very Emotional Moment': Cong Leader Gaurav Gogoi on Casting Vote in Jorhat
Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi cast his vote at a polling booth in Jorhat in the first phase of Assam Assembly Elections 2021. The Congress leader stated that it is “very emotional moment” for him, reported ANI.
“It's a very emotional moment for me as it's the first time after many years that I'm coming to a polling station without my parents. Confident that people are going to vote out politics of lies, deceit, and voting for politics that guarantees that their future is bright.”
24.48 Percent Voter Turnout as of 11 AM: Election Commission
According to the Election Commission of India, 24.48% and 24.61% voter turnout was recorded till 11 am, in the first phase of polling in Assam and West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021 respectively.
Congress Leader Rockybul Hussain Casts Vote in Amoni
Congress' Rockybul Hussain, who is contesting from the Samaguri constituency, cast his vote at a polling booth in Amoni, reported ANI.
Voters Line Up Outside Polling Centre in Sivasagar
(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)
37.06 Percent Voter Turnout as of 1 PM: Election Commission
According to the Election Commission of India, 37.06% and 40.73% voter turnout was recorded till 1 pm, in the first phase of polling in Assam and West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021 respectively.
Assam Congress President Ripun Bora Casts Vote in Gohpur
Assam Congress President Ripun Bora cast his vote at a polling booth in Gohpur.
45.24 Percent Voter Turnout as of 2 PM: Election Commission
According to the Election Commission of India, 45.24% and 54.90% voter turnout was recorded till 2 pm, in the first phase of polling in Assam and West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021 respectively.
62.09 Percent Voter Turnout as of 3 PM
According to the Election Commission of India, 47.10% voter turnout was recorded till 3 pm, in the first phase of polling in Assam.
62.36 Percent Voter Turnout as of 4 PM
Assam Assembly Elections: 71.62% Voter Turnout Till 5 PM, Says EC
71.62 percent voter turnout has been recorded till 5 pm, in the first phase of polling in the Assam Assembly elections, according to data from the Election Commission.
Assam Assembly Elections: 72.18% Voter Turnout Till 5.30 PM, Says EC
Assam recorded a voter turnout of 72.18 percent till 5.30 pm on Saturday in the first phase of the state assembly polls, according to the Election Commission (EC) data.
Assam Assembly Elections: Voting in Phase 1 Comes to an End
Polling for the first phase of the Assam Assembly elections has ended.