Assam assembly polls: Over 35% polling recorded till midday

CM Tarun Gogoi along with his wife Dolly Gogoi, son and MP Gaurav Gogoi and brother Deep Gogoi were among the early voters

More than 35% of the 95,11,732 voters, including Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, exercised their franchise amidst tight security till mid day during the first phase of voting today.

The fate of Gogoi, BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal and his alliance partner AGP's Working President Atul Bora will be decided in today's polls.

Voters were seen standing in long queues at 2,190 polling stations to exercise their franchise for the 539 contestants in 65 of the 126 Assam Assembly segments going to the polls in the first phase today.

Election office sources said more than 35% polling was reported in 2,190 polling stations across constituencies till 1200 hrs.

The ruling Congress, the BJP-AGP-BPF alliance and the AIUDF, CPI, CPI(M), CPI-(M)-(L) are participating in the democratic exercise for the 95,11,732 voters, including 45,95,712 women.

The Chief Minister along with his wife Dolly Gogoi, son and MP Gaurav Gogoi and brother Deep Gogoi were among the early voters to stand in line to vote at the Debicharan Baruah Girls High School polling station.

Many of the polling booths wore a festive look as they were decorated with multi-coloured festoons and buntings, others with red, blue, white and orange balloons, while some had earthen urns painted with smiling human faces on them.

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in some polling centres were reported to have not functioned briefly halting voting but once they were replaced voting resumed, election office said.

With over 48,000 personnel manning the polling booths, intense security measures have been put in place in the state and the Indo-Bangla border along Barak Valley's Karimganj district sealed.

CCTV cameras and web casting facilities have also been put in place by the election office for a free and fair election.

Altogether 535 companies of central security forces and state police have been deployed in the 65 constituencies spread across Upper Assam, two hill districts, northern bank of Brahmaputra Valley, besides Barak Valley.

For today's first phase of polling Congress is contesting in all the 65 constituencies, BJP in 54 and its alliance partners - AGP in 11 and BPF in three, AIUDF in 27, CPI and CPI(M) in ten each with CPI(ML)(L) in six along with 60 others of unrecognised parties and 13 Independents.

The second and final phase of polling is scheduled for April 11.