Guwahati: Assam recorded a voter turnout of 59.63 per cent till 1 pm on Thursday in the ongoing Assembly elections, according to data released by the Election Commission of India.
The turnout had stood at 38.92 per cent till 11 am which indicated a steady rise in participation as the day progressed.
Polling began at 7 am across the state for all 126 Assembly constituencies and is underway with voters turning up in large numbers. Long queues were seen at several polling stations since the morning hours.
The election is being held for the 126-member Assembly, with most constituencies witnessing a direct contest between the BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led opposition alliance.
While the BJP is seeking a third consecutive term in power, the Congress is attempting to return after losing the state in 2016.
A total of 722 candidates are in the fray, including Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal and Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi.
The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.