Assam election LIVE: Polling peaceful, says EC; 73% voter turnout till 5 pm

Assam election 2021 LIVE updates: The main contest is seen to be between the alliances led by BJP and Congress. Stay tuned for LIVE updates on Assam election 2021 Phase 2

11:12 PM

Assam registers 77.21 per cent voting in 2nd phase on 39 seats

An estimated 77.21 per cent of the 73.45 lakh voters exercised their franchise on Thursday during the second phase of polling, in which at least three persons were injured in firing by PSOs of Deputy Speaker Aminul Haque Laskar in Sonai constituency.
 

There are no other reports of violence from any of the 39 constituencies, where voting took place to decide the fate of 345 candidates, including five ministers, election officials said.
 

"The poll percentage estimated as of now is 77.21 per cent. It will increase a bit after final compilation," Joint Chief Electoral Officer Rahul Chandra Das said.
 

Meanwhile, three persons were injured in firing by body guards of Laskar after clash broke out between supporters of BJP and AIUDF outside 463 Madhya Dhanehori LP School polling station at Sonai of Cachar district.
 

Dhanehari gaon panchayat president Lutfa Begum said the PSO of Laskar fired on the crowd which had confined the BJP leader in a room alleging rigging by him.

Cachar Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli confirmed the development and said they are waiting for a detailed report.
 

11:12 PM

Three injured in firing by Dy Speaker's body guards following clashes between BJP, AIUDF supporters

At least three persons were injured in firing by the body guards of Assam Assembly Deputy Speaker Aminul Haque Laskar on Thursday after clashes broke out between supporters of BJP and AIUDF.
 

Cachar district Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli confirmed "an incident" and said the administration is waiting for a detailed report from the polling station at 463 Madhya Dhanehori LP School of Sonai constituency.
 

"They are all non-critical," she said when asked how many people were injured and their health status.
 

When contacted the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Assam, Joint Chief Electoral Officer Rahul Chandra Das said they will be able to comment only after a detailed report is received from the Returning Officer.
 

A huge contingent of police and central armed police forces have been deployed, while the district SP has rushed to the spot, officials said.
 

According to the Dhanehori gaon panchayat president Lutfa Begum, public protested when Laskar entered the booth in late afternoon.
 

"People alleged that he has tried to rig the voting. Many people rushed to the spot and confined Laskar in one room. Due to this the situation became tens. A clash broke out between supporters of Laskar and his opponent," she added.
 

Sitting MLA Laskar is having a direct contest with Karim Uddin Barbhuiya of the AIUDF at Sonai, where voting took place on Thursday in the second phase.
 

"When a big crowd gathered and they tried to manhandle Laskar, his PSOs fired. In this, at least three persons were injured and they were admitted in hospitals," Begum said.
 

The wounded have been identified as Shamim Ahmed Choudhury, Baharul Islam and Kader Hussain, she added.
 

8:35 PM

Assam sees nearly 75% polling in second phase of assembly election

Assam recorded a voter turnout of nearly 75 per cent in the second phase of polling, according to the latest figures from the Election Commission.

 

The second phase election was held in 39 constituencies across 13 districts.

 

According to EC data, the voter turnout was 74.76 per cent at 7.30 pm. The polling ended at 6 pm.

 

Congress leader Sushmita Dev, All India United Democratic Front president Badruddin Ajmal and former Minister of State (MoS) for Railways Rajen Gohain were among those who cast their ballot in the second phase of polls.

7:46 PM

BPF candidate joins BJP in the midst of polls in Assam

Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) candidate Rangja Khungur Basumatary Thursday joined BJP ahead of the third phase of poll in Assam when the constituency in which he is a contestant is slated to go to the poll.

 

Basumatary had reportedly gone missing for two days and at around midnight on Wednesday, senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma had tweeted that he had met the BPF candidate, who would join the saffron party.

 

BPF is an ally of the opposition Congress in Assam, where two out of the slated three phased poll got over on Thursday.

7:19 PM

LIVE: Second phase of Assam Assembly elections was conducted peacefully, says Election Commission of India

LIVE: Second phase of Assam Assembly elections was conducted peacefully, says Election Commission of India

6:16 PM

LIVE: 73.03% voter turnout recorded till 6 pm in Assam

73.03% voter turnout recorded till 6 pm in the second phase of polling in Assam, according to the Election Commission of India

6:00 PM

"Sabhyata, Suraksha and Vikas" is the mantra of BJP: Sonowal

5:40 PM

LIVE: 72.65 per cent polling recorded in Assam till 5:22 pm

LIVE: 72.65 per cent polling recorded in Assam till 5:22 pm, according to the Election Commission of India

4:44 PM

Assam assembly election phase 2: 63.04 per cent voter turnout recorded till 3 pm

Assam assembly election phase 2: 63.04 per cent voter turnout recorded till 3 pm in 39 seats where polling is underway.

4:38 PM

Assam polls: e-rickshaw facility for senior citizens, saplings gifted to first voters in Cachar

The Cachar district administration has provided e-rickshaw facility to senior citizens having difficulty in mobility for travelling to the polling stations to cast their votes in the second phase of Assam assembly elections held on Thursday.

 

Cachar Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli also said that the administration has gifted saplings to first male, female and senior citizen voters in many polling stations.

 

"The e-rickshaw facility has been provided to 60-plus voters in Cachar especially to those who have difficulty in mobility. They are also being felicitated for exercising their franchise," Jalli told PTI.

3:46 PM

Assam polls: 57.89 per cent voter turnout till 3.10 pm

Assam recorded a voter turnout of 57.89 per cent till 3.10 pm across 39 constituencies in 13 districts during the second phase of the state assembly polls, according to the Election Commission (EC).

 

The Nalbari constituency in the state witnessed the highest voting percentage with a voter turnout of 71 per cent till 3.10 pm, while the Kamalpur constituency witnessed the lowest voting percentage with a voter turnout of just 43.55 per cent.

 

The second phase of polling for assembly elections in the states of West Bengal and Assam began at 7 am on Thursday and is currently underway.

3:28 PM

55% voting till 2 pm in Assam phase two polls

Over 55 per cent voters have cast their ballots during the first seven hours (till 2 p.m.) of polling in the second phase of the Assam Assembly elections on Thursday, election officials said.

 

Polling was being held in 39 constituencies amid tight security.

 

The election and police officials said that no incident of violence was reported so far from the 13 districts where the voting was underway.

 

In a few polling stations, voting was halted for some time due to technical snags in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) but it started soon after the machines were rectified.

2:20 PM

People in Assam have shown Congress-led alliance "red card": PM Modi

Drawing a football analogy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday claimed the people of Assam have shown the "red card" to the Congress-led Grand Alliance in the state.

 

He also accused the previous Congress governments of being mute spectators for decades to unbridled violence in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) of the state.

 

"Football is a popular sport among the youths of Assam, and to use their parlance, the people of Assam have shown the Congress-led alliance the red card," he said addressing an election rally at Kokrajhar.

1:38 PM

Assam polls: 48.26 per cent voter turnout till 1.10 pm

Assam elections: 48.26 per cent of 7.3 million voters exercise their franchise till 1 pm in 39 assembly seats where polling is underway in second phase

1:34 PM

Assam election: EC issues show cause notice to BJP leader Sarma for remarks against Mohilary

The Election Commission on Thursday issued a show cause notice to Assam minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma for allegedly making threatening remarks against opposition leader Hagrama Mohilary of the Bodoland People's Front.

 

He has been asked to respond to the notice by 5 pm on April 2.

 

The Congress had approached the EC alleging that Sarma had threatened to sendMohilary to jail by misusing the NIA.