GUWAHATI, Dec 1: The overall percentage of poll in the elections to 55 civic bodies of the State, including the Guwahati Municipal Corporation, held today, was between 65 and 70. The elections were by and large peaceful. No report of any major election-related violence, barring some stray cases at some places, has been received till the filing of this report from any corner of the State. Repolling in five centres of Karimganj Municipal Board and two centres of Dhubri Municipal Board is likely to be ordered by the State Election Commission (SEC) as reports of assault of poll officials and snatching of ballot papers from these centres have been received. If ordered, repoll will be held tomorrow, SEC sources said this evening.
In the city, the percentage of polling in the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) election was around 55. Palashbari has recorded the highest percentage of polling with 84.37. Though polling was by and large peaceful in the city, the workers of the Congress and the BJP clashed at the Pandu College centre of ward number 7 this afternoon. Trouble started when Congress workers were found casting proxy votes at the centre, said eyewitnesses.
In all, two persons were arrested and 35 others were detained in the city today in connection with election-related offences. Four cases of proxy voting have been registered at three city police stations of Basistha, Latasil and Jalukbari, said district election office and city police sources this evening. Though enthusiasm was marked among the voters of other areas of the city, there was a lukewarm response from the voters in the purely Assamese-speaking people dominated areas to the poll.
Our Dibrugarh office reported that voting in Upper Assam districts was peaceful and over sixty per cent polling was reported from these districts.
Our Correspondents report:
Nalbari: Voters took part in the poll with much enthusiasm in the elections to the Nalbari Municipal Board, despite the night curfew in force in the town. Altogether 14,310 voters cast their votes and of the twelve wards where elections were held, eight witnessed about 91 per cent of polling.
Darrang: Elections to the Mangaldoi Municipal Board and eight town committees were peaceful. The percentage of polling, according to the sources in the District Election Office, is expected to touch something between 65 and 70 in the district, said our correspondent. Election to Tangla and Udalguri town committees could not be held as the areas of these town committees fell under the Boroland Territorial Autonomous District, said Sri D Malakar, ADC and Returning Officer, Municipal Election, Darrang district.
Silchar: The rate of polling for the election to the Silchar Municipality was 70 and polling was by and large peaceful. However, the BJP has alleged rigging and physical assault of its agents by Congress stalwart Santosh Mohan Dev and his goons in four centres of ward number 27 and in one centre in each of wards 3 and 5. The BJP has demanded repoll in these centres.
Dhubri: The elections to Dhubri Municipal Board, Gauripur town Committee, Bilashipara town committee and Sapatgram town committee passed off peacefully today. The percentage of polling was between 70 to 75.
Hojai: About 69.2 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise in the polls to Hojai, Lumding and Lanka municipal boards and Dabaka town committee.
Mariani: 65.6 per cent of the voters cast their votes in the election to the Marioni town committee. No untoward incident was reported during the polling.
Tezpur: About 61 per cent votes were polled in the election to Tezpur municipal board, while, in Biswanath Chariali 80 per cent of the voters cast their votes. At Rangapara, 65 per cent votes were polled and at Dhekiajuli 67 per cent votes were polled.
Dhing: 72 per cent votes were polled in the election to Dhing town committee.
Barpeta Road: 65 per cent votes were polled in election to Barpeta Road Municipal Board.
Kampur: Over 74 per cent of the voters turned out today to cast their votes in the election to Kampur town committee in Nagaon district.
Dergaon: 67 per cent voters cast their votes in the election to Dergaon town committee.
Badarpur: 70 per cent of the votes were polled in the election to the Badarpur town committee. Police resorted to lathicharge in the ward numbers 1 and 4 when Congress and BJP workers clashed.
Sivasagar: About 60 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the election to Sivasagar Municipal Board. One person Harikrishna Mukhia from Samastipur, Bihar, was taken into custody by police for impersonation.
Goalpara: 70 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in the election to Goalpara Municipal Board.