25 pc votes cast ballot till 10 AM in Assam

GUWAHATI: Over 25 per cent of the 64,41,634 voters exercised their franchise during the first three hours of polling to decide the fate of 51 candidates in five Lok Sabha seats in Assam amidst tight security Monday.

With polling beginning at 7 AM, Tezpur recorded 20 per cent, Jorhat 22 per cent, Lakhimpur 25 per cent, Dibrugarh 20 per cent and Koliabor 30 per cent votes till 10 AM, election office sources said.

Polling has been peaceful so far. There were reports of EVMs malfunctioning in Dibrugarh, Kaliabor, Tezpur and Lakhimpur constituencies. The machines were later replaced and voting continued uninterrupted, the sources said.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, his wife as well as his son and Koliabor constituency Congress candidate Gaurav Gogoi cast their vote in Jorhat, while union minister and contestants Paban Singh Ghatowar and Ranee Narah also exercised their franchise in Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur constituencies, respectively.

Former union minister and sitting MP Bijoy Krishna Handique, contesting as Congress nominee from Jorhat, also cast his vote with his family members.

With 6.5 lakh first time voters registered this time, long queues were seen in front of the polling booths.

Most of the early morning voters were women who said they wanted to cast their ballot before they get busy in household chores for the day.

The Congress, BJP, Trinamool Congress, AIUDF, AGP, AAP, SUCI, CPI(M), AIFB and SP are contesting in the five seats during the first phase of elections in the Congress-ruled state.

The state election office was webcasting the election process in each polling station.

Among the 51 candidates are union ministers Ranee Narah and Paban Singh Ghatowar, sitting MP Bijoy Krishna Handique, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi's son Gourav Gogoi and Bhupen Kumar Bora from the Congress.

Congress rebel and Independent candidate Moni Kumar Subba is also in the fray.