Assam bypolls record 47% voter turnout till 1 PM

Assam's by-polls in its three Assembly constituencies of Silchar, Lakhipur and Jamunamukh today recorded 47% voter turnout till 1 pm, the Election Office here said.

Polling began peacefully at 7 am in the three constituencies where 5,09,689 voters, including 2,44,543 women, are expected to exercise their vote in 588 polling stations, it said.

The constituencies of Silchar and Jamunamukh recorded 47% turnout each, while Lakhipur registered 54%.

Arun Dutta Majumdar (Congress), Dilip Kumar Paul (BJP) and Nur Ahmed Barbhuyan (AIUDF) are the prominent contestants among the 12 for Silchar, while former Congress MLA Dinesh Prasad Goala's son Rajdeep Goala (Cong), Mukesh Pandey (AIUDF) and Sanjay Thakur (BJP) are notables among the eight contestants for Lakhipur.

AIUDF president Badruddin Ajmal's son Abdur Rahim Ajmal, Bashir Uddin Laskar (Cong) and Bilal Uddin (BJP), besides two others are contesting the seats for Jamunamukh.

The by-election was necessitated following the election of Silchar Congress MLA Sushmita Dev and Jamunamukh AIUDF MLA Mohammad Sirajuddin Ajmal to the Lok Sabha during the last general elections.

The death of sitting Congress MLA Dinesh Prasad Goala necessitated by-polls in Lakhipur.

Counting of votes will take place on September 16, the Election Office added.