68 percent voting in first phase Asom poll

      Guwahati/New Delhi: Sixty-eight percent voting was registered in Asom during the first phase of Assembly polls, the Election Commission said on Monday. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Election Commissioner RC Mishra said that voting was peaceful for the 65 Assembly seats, except for one stray incident, at polling station no 4 in Chabua Constituency, in Upper Asom, where one Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) was destroyed. "The polling has been by and large peaceful and generally incident free. Expect the incident at Chabua, no other incident has been reported," said Mishra He said that today's poll was covered by 50000 polling personnel and 51 observers specially deputed by the Election Commission. "A total of 92,07,512 voters were listed in the first phase of the poll, which was held at 9723 polling stations across the state," he said.

      He further said that the highest number of candidates (25) were in fray from Algapur Assembly Constituency. Earlier reports said that constituencies in the Upper Asom region reported the maximum turnout, though the number of urban voters was less at the start of the voting. The three Upper Asom Districts of Dhemaji, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia recorded the maximum polling till noon, whereas the turnout in urban centers of Guwahati (Sadar), Jorhat and Silchar was comparatively low. The world famous Majuli River Island constituency recorded the highest polling figure of 69 percent. The Barak Valley also saw a heavy voter turnout, and in some constituencies, over 60 per cent polling had been recorded. Minority areas of the Barak Valley and Central Asom recorded a low voter turnout. Voters were asked to produce one of 23 documents prescribed by the Election Commission as identification before they were permitted to exercise their franchise. State Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and his wife Dolly cast their votes at the Debi Charan Baruah College polling booth in Jorhat and expressed confidence about the Congress party getting an absolute majority. Gogoi is contesting from the neighbouring Titabor constituency. Speaking to the reporters after casting his vote, Gogoi said: "The Congress is set to return to power as it had ensured development and improved the finances of the state." "There is improvement in the law and order situation and so the people are with us," he added. However, he refuted that there is anti-incumbency factor in the state.

     In reply to a query as to why he was not being projected as the Chief Minister by the party, he said the "Congress is a democratic party and its leader is elected democratically by its legislative party. After the election results are out, the Congress Legislative party will elect its leader". Earlier, during the first three hours of polling, there was a low voter turnout. The voters said they were looking for better living standards and a more peaceful life. "We expect that the government which comes to power will help us to live in peace. We should be freed from the fear of rebel groups like ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom). We also want basic necessities like water and food to be made available to poor people," said Praful Baruah, a local. "We want solutions for problems in Asom, like the unemployment and the problem of Bangladeshi (infiltrators)," said Indranil, another voter. Miliky Barua, the mother of the self styled commander-in-chief of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), too cast her vote in Tinsukia District, which is about 540 kilometres east of Guwahati. Reports of malfunctioning electronic voting machines (EVMs), used for the first time in the state assembly polls, were also received from some constituencies delaying voting. The first phase of polling will decide the fate of about 515 contestants, including Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi (Titabor), Speaker Prithvi Majhi (Lahowal), state Congress president Bhubaneswar Kalita (Rangiya), former Union Minister Bijoya Chakraborty (Dispur) and many sitting Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs). The highest number of candidates contesting for the election is from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It has 65 candidates, followed by 64 from Congress, 54 from Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), 25 from Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and eight each from Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India- Marxist (CPI-M). To block the infiltration of Bangladeshis and Inter-Service Intelligence agents, the international border running along the State has been sealed to ensure a free and fair poll. Asom Police Battalion personnel have been deployed near crucial public installations. The army, however, would not be specifically used for poll work, but would look after vulnerable areas. Helicopters were also employed for aerial surveillance over remote areas. A total of 9, 723 poll booths have been installed for the first phase of elections. Out of these, 1, 797 polling booths are identified as very sensitive and 3, 227 as sensitive. For the first time, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are being used throughout the state after being partially used during the last Lok Sabha elections.

     As it was reported, the main insurgent outfit ULFA has kept itself away from the polls. The ULFA is also engaged in peace talks with the Centre. The ULFA earlier said that it would maintain distance from all the political parties. It also asked the people to vote for parties committed to the issue of Asom's sovereignty. It is important to note that the ULFA has abstained from calling for a poll boycott for the first time. However, the authorities were not taking chances as voting in past years had been marred by violence in the state of 26 million. The ruling Congress and the Oppositions AGP and BJP have left no stone unturned to woo the voters. Congress is facing tough jolts from Bharatiya Janta Party and Asom Gana Parishad. BJP and AGP has raised old issues like illegal influx of Bangladeshi However the Congress government has been drumming its achievements on economic development in rural areas and success in bringing ULFA on the negotiation table. The second and last phase of polls in Asom will be held on April 10.

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