BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI, February 9: Except few sporadic incidents, polling in 32 municipal boards and 42 town committees in the State was held peacefully on Monday, with a voting percentage of 72.70.
Altogether 2,901 candidates were in fray for the Monday’s civic elections.
In this civic poll, the number of voters was 14,84,496, which was 12 per cent more than the 2009 polls.
Polling began at 8 am and ended at 4 pm all over the State.
As per requests made by different political parties in Barak Valley for the use of paramilitary forces, CRPF personnel were deployed for area domition. The security of polling booths was in the hands of Assam Police.
Talking to reporters here on Monday, HN Bora, Commissioner, Assam State Election Commission, said, “Except few sporadic incidents, the overall polling was held in a peaceful manner. The polling percentage was 72.70. Highest polling percentage (86) was recorded in Palashbari and the lowest percentage (49) was recorded in mrup.”
Reports of missing of mes of few residents in the electoral rolls came in from some areas of the State, sources said.
In Tinsukia, a polling officer, identified as Tileswar Chetia, suddenly fell ill while on duty and later died in a local hospital.
Sources said that counting of votes would take place on February 12 at the district headquarters and subdivisions, adding, re-polling would be held at Hojai polling station on February 11, from where 100 ballot papers had gone missing, sources added.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi recently said that the party's vote share would increase compared to 2009 civic polls. People of the State had witnessed BJP’s U-turn in recent days, he said.
The State BJP also claimed that they would get majority in this election.
In 2009 civic polls, the Congress had won 425 of the 696 wards. The AGP had bagged 102, while the BJP had won in 66. The CPI (M) had won in two while Independents had bagged 101 wards.