Search the Internet          Tips

60 pc exercise franchise in Assam, WB repoll

The Assam government had declared Saturday and Sunday as paid holidays and dry days (no sale of liquor) in the areas falling under the polling stations in both the Barak and Brahmaputra valleys.

Majority of the voters in 75 polling stations of 19 constituencies in the Brahmaputra valley exercised their franchise before noon though many people rushed to the polling booths in the last hour before poll ended at 1600 hours (IST).

Ten Central Reserve Police Force personnel were posted per polling station while army and police patrolled the area leading to the election booths. Polling ended peacefully, election office sources said.

Repolling had been ordered by the Election Commission following reports of rigging and ballot snatching in 206 polling stations during assembly election on May 10.

The 19 constituencies where repolling was held are Bhabanipur (1 polling station), Kalaigaon (2), Barpeta (1), Sorbhog (1), Bongaigaon (4), Rangiya (21), Hajo (1), Bilasipara East (2), Gossaigaon (1), Kokrajhar West (4), Kokrajhar East (1), Tingkhong (2), Moran (5), Naharkatia (2), Sadiya (3), Barama (5), Chapaguri (2), Tamulpur (16), Udalguri (1).

Fresh voting will be held on Sunday in the 13 Barak valley constituencies of Hailakandi (36 polling stations), Algapur (13), Katlicherra (34), Ratabari (5), Patharkandi (8), Sonai (3), Badarpur (2), Karimganj North (8), Karimganj South (2), Silchar (5), Lakhipur (5), Borkhola (7) and Katigora (3).

Counting of ballots would begin on Sunday from 0800 hours simultaneously with the repolling.

The state witnessed unprecedented pre-poll violence leaving 37 people dead and more than 60 injured in militant attacks mostly targeted at Asom Gana Parishad-Bharatiya Janata Party workers and candidates in the state.

In West Bengal, over 60 per cent voting was recorded during repolling in 90 booths of 28 assembly constituencies on Saturday, with stray incidents of violence reported in North and South 24-Parganas districts.

State's Chief Electoral Officer Sabyasachi Sen said police fired eight rounds in the air to disperse warring Communist Party of India-Marxist and Trinamul Congress activists in front of two booths under Bishnupur (East) assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district.

He said bombs hurled between the warring groups during the clash caused panic among voters in Salpukur area in the constituency before police swung into action.

The police, he said, arrested eight Trinamul Congress workers 'moving around suspiciously' in a vehicle near some booths under Kharda assembly constituency at Titagarh, from where state's Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta is seeking re-election.

Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was camping in Kharda following reports that CPI-M activists had been allegedly 'intimidating genuine voters' in the area.

EARLIER REPORTS
9 killed as 60 pc vote in Assam
Militants to target politicians, including the CM Ultras gun down six persons, destroy party offices
Six AGP workers killed in ULFA attack: PTI
Suspected ULFA militants kill 3 AGP workers, 16 injured in grenade blast

Tell us what you think of this report