75% votes polled in first phase of Assam panchayat election, several anomalies reported
Guwahati, Dec 5 (IBNS): Around 75 percent turnout was recorded in the first phase of panchayat polls in 16 districts of Assam on Wednesday.
Despite Assam State Election Commission claims of peacefully poll, several sporadic incidents of violence and polling anomalies have surfaced in many places.
Voters in many places got enraged after mismatch of party symbols in ballot papers and missing of voters name from the electoral rolls.
Meanwhile, one person died in police firing in Assam’s Golaghat district as the man was trying to attack security personnel, deployed in poll security, by a machete.
The incident took place outside of 1 No Habiyal Dergaon Ganakpukhuri polling station in the upper Assam district.
The man has been identified as Gyanendra Rajkhowa.
According to the reports, the machete-wielding man was trying to attack the security personnel and other people.
The security personnel was forced to fire at him, said reports.
The injured person was immediately rushed to hospital, who later died at hospital.
In a separate incident, at least 12 persons including a pregnant woman were injured after a CRPF vehicle ran over a temporary BJP office at Gogamukh area in Dhemaji district.
The vehicle immediately caught fire due to leak of fuel tank.
The incident took place at Betnihula village near Gogamukh while local people were busy in first phase of panchayat polls.
Locals alleged that, the driver of the CRPF vehicle was drunk, lost his control and hit the temporary BJP office.
The injured persons were rushed to hospital.
Assam State Election Commissioner H. N. Bora on Wednesday said that, 65.50 percent polling was recorded till 3pm.
The Assam State Election Commissioner further said that, there was no report of major violence and that the election was peaceful except few cases of conflicts between political party activists.
“One very unfortunate case of death of a person has happened, which is not related with election. I am still waiting for the final report from the Deputy Commissioner,” H. N. Bora said.
The Assam State Election Commissioner said that, re-poll will be held in few polling stations on Dec 7.
“We are conducting elections in 14,077 polling stations. Out of that, re-poll will be held in 20-25 polling stations and we will get the final tally from the Deputy Commissioners,” the Assam State Election Commissioner said.
(Reporting by Hemanth Kumar Nath)
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