The total per cent of voter turnout in the by-polls in the four Assam Assembly constituencies – Rangapara, Sonari, Ratabari and Jania – is about 31.49 per cent by 11 am on Monday.
Meanwhile, the by-polls for the Shella Assembly seat in Meghalaya witnessed voters’ turnout of 22.72 per cent by 11 am.
The voting process for the by-polls began at 7 am on Monday.
Also read: Polling begins for by-polls in four constituencies of Assam
In Assam, the Election Commission has set up 830 polling stations — 202 in Ratabari, 229 in Jania, 197 in Rangapara and 202 in Sonari.
In Sonari, there will be a direct contest between the two candidates in fray – BJP’s Nabanita Handique and Sushil Kumar Suri of Congress.
In Ratabari there are four candidates but the fight is likely to be straight between Bijoy Malakar of BJP and Keshab Prasad Rajak of Congress, while Birendra Ravidas (SUCI-Communist) and Parikhit Roy (Independent) are also in the fray.
Jania has the highest of nine candidates in the poll arena with the contest likely to be triangular among actor-politician Towfiqur Rahman (BJP), Samsul Hoque (INC) and Rafiqul Islam (AIUDF).
The others are Chand Mahmud (NPP), Faruk Khan (AAP), Rustom Ali (CPI-M), Abdul Jalil Talukdar (Ind), Rafikul Islam (Democratic Party of India) and Subhash Sutradhar (Ind).
Four crorepatis, including two from the tea tribe, are fighting the election.
While two crorepatis — Rajen Borthakur (BJP) and Kartik Kurmi (Congress) — are fighting it out for Rangapara constituency, two others, Sushil Kumar Suri (Congress) and Nabanita Handique (BJP), are in the fray in Sonari.
Meanwhile, the by-poll for the Shella assembly seat in Meghalaya has been necessitated following the death of former Meghalaya Speaker, Donkupar Roy.
United Democratic Party candidate Balajied Kupar Synrem, who is the son of the late Speaker, and independent candidate Komen Laitmon are contesting for the Shella assembly seat.
Moreover, the other candidates contesting for the Shella assembly seat include BJP’s Joshua Warjri, Congress candidate Batyngshain Laitmon Ryngnga, People’s Democratic Front’s Mosjo Rockfeller Wanswett and independent candidate Grace Mary Kharpuri.