10.14% voter turnout recorded till 9.30 am, in the first phase of polling in Assam Assembly elections, said Election Commission of India.

The temperature of voters being checked, arrangement of masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer made at a primary school – designated as a polling booth of the 47 constituencies.

Most voters were seen wearing masks amid a resurgent coronavirus, while those arriving without one are being provided at the booths.

Voting began at 7 am on Saturday for 47 seats in the first phase of the elections to decide the fate of several heavyweight candidates including chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

Altogether 264 candidates, including 23 women, are in the fray in the first phase.

Besides Sonowal, Saturday’s election will decide the fates of six Cabinet ministers Ranjit Dutta, Naba Doley, Jogen Mahan, Sanjay Kishan, AGP president Atul Bora, Keshab Mahanta, jailed peasants’ rights activist Akhil Gogoi, AJP chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi, Assam Congress president Ripun Bora and AICC secretary Bhupen Kumar Borah.

Tight security arrangements have been put in place across 12 districts of the state in view of the election.

Over 300 companies of security forces have been deployed to ensure free and fair polling in the 27 LACs.

The ECI has felicitated the first voter with gamosa at different polling stations.

As the poll gets underway, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged the people, especially the youth of the state, to vote in record numbers.