61% votes polled in by-elections in Assam

An estimated 61 per cent of the electorate exercised their franchise today for by-elections to Lakhimpur Parliamentary constituency and Baithalangso Assembly seat in Assam.
"The polling ended peacefully. The overall percentage of voting is 60.93 per cent. Out of this, 60.83 per cent was in Lakhimpur and 65 per cent in Baithalangso," Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh C Sahu told PTI here.
During the polling, eight voting machines were replaced in Lakhimpur constituency, while no EVM was changed in the Assembly constituency, he added.
Lakhimpur has a total electorate of 15,11,110 voters, while it is 1,80,203 voters in Baithalanso.
Polling began this morning amid tight security and was initially at slow pace with few voters trickling in the early hours but picked up later during the day.

Voting was conducted under strict vigil across both the constituencies.

The by-elections to Lakhimpur parliamentary constituency was necessitated as Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal vacated the seat following his election in May last to the state Assembly from Majuli constituency, which falls under this Lok Sabha seat.
In Baithalangso, it was necessitated as sitting Congress MLA Man Singh Rongpi left the party to join the BJP in July.
There are five candidates in fray in Lakhimpur -- Amiya Kumar Handique (CPI-M), Pradan Baruah (BJP), Hema Hari Prasanna Pegu (Cong), Hem Kanta Miri (SUCI-Communist) and Dilip Moran (Independent).
(Reopens CAL9)
There are altogether 1,954 polling stations in Lakhimpur spread across the nine Assembly constituencies of Majuli (ST), Naoboicha, Lakhimpur, Dhakuakhana (ST), Dhemaji (ST), Jonai (ST), Chabua, Doomdooma and Sadiya.

On the other hand, voting took place in in 246 polling stations in Baithalanso.
The counting of the votes will be held on November 22.