Guwahati: Assam Panchayat Elections: The second and final phase of Assam’s panchayat elections concluded peacefully on Wednesday, May 7, with an estimated 56.71% of the total 91.31 lakh registered voters casting their ballots across 13 districts in central and lower Assam.
Polling occurred from 7.30 am to 4.30 pm at 12,130 designated polling stations, and officials expect to confirm the final turnout figures later in the evening or the following day.
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The State Election Commission reported that the voter turnout reached 56.71% by 3.30 pm.
Polling took place in the districts of Dhubri, South Salmara-Mankachar, Goalpara, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Bajali, Nalbari, Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro), Hojai, Nagaon, Morigaon, and Darrang.
Among these, Bongaigaon district recorded the highest turnout at 62.72%, while Kamrup district had the lowest turnout at 51.33%.
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Key political figures, including Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, participated in the elections, with Sarma casting his vote at Amingaon Bengali Higher Secondary School in his Jalukbari constituency in Kamrup district. After voting, he expressed his belief in a “prosperous future for rural Assam.”
Officials stated that they may hold a repoll on May 9 at any polling stations where issues occurred during the second phase.
Vote counting for both the first and second phases of the election will take place on May 11.
In total, 91,31,127 voters were eligible to vote in this phase, comprising 46,30,924 men, 44,99,952 women, and 251 third-gender individuals. A total of 29,608 candidates contested for positions in the Zila Parishad, Anchalik Parishad, and Gaon Panchayat elections.
Notably, 1,289 candidates were elected unopposed, including 21 Zila Parishad members, 151 Anchalik Parishad members, and 1,117 Gaon Panchayat ward members.
In Kamrup district, authorities activated 1,274 of the 1,333 polling stations, with 59 booths already recording uncontested victories.
District Commissioner Deba Kumar Mishra confirmed that authorities deployed over 5,000 polling personnel, including 1,274 presiding officers, across the district.
The district also set up 44 women-only polling stations.
Officials securely transported the ballot boxes to strongrooms in Mirza and Amingaon, where they will remain under surveillance until the vote counting begins.
This second phase follows the first phase, which saw a 70.19% turnout in 14 districts such as Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, and Majuli. This marks the first panchayat election in Assam following the delimitation of constituencies.