Guwahati, April 9 A voter turnout of nearly 76 per cent was recorded by 3 pm on Thursday in the assembly elections in Assam, where the BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term in power, while the Congress is looking to reclaim a state it lost a decade ago.
Polling began at 7 am for the 126-member assembly, and 75.91 per cent of the state's 2.5 crore voters had exercised their right by 3 pm, despite overcast skies and rain in many parts of the state. Polling will continue until 5 pm.
In the 2021 assembly elections, held in three phases, a voter turnout of around 82 per cent was recorded.
A total of 722 candidates are contesting in this single-phase election, which largely sees a direct contest between the BJP-led ruling coalition and the opposition bloc led by the Congress.
Chamaria in Kamrup recorded the highest turnout of 84.43 per cent by 3 pm, while New Guwahati witnessed the lowest at 60.57 per cent, officials said.
This is the first assembly poll in the state after a delimitation exercise, held in 2023, redrew the state's electoral map.
Chief Minister Himanta, who is seeking re-election from Jalukbari, voted at the Garal Buniyadi LP school in Kamrup (Metro) district, along with his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, son Nandil, and daughter Sukanya.
Prior to casting his vote, he and his family offered prayers at the Kamakhya Temple atop the Nilachal Hills and the Doul Govinda Temple in North Guwahati.
Accompanied by his mother, Dolly Gogoi, state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi cast his vote at DCB LP School in Jorhat.
Other prominent candidates who have cast their votes so far include Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia in Nazira, Union minister Pabitra Margherita in Jorhat, AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi in Khowang, and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi in Sibsagar.
State ministers who have exercised their votes so far are Ranoj Pegu in Dhemaji, Ajanta Neog in Golaghat, Ranjeet Kumar Das in Bhabanipur-Sorbhog, Bimal Bora in Tingkhong, Pshanta Phukan in Dibrugarh, and Jayanta Malla Baruah in Nalbari.
Votes are being cast at 31,490 polling stations across the 35 districts of the state, with polling concluding at 5 pm.
Meanwhile, seven people were apprehended in connection with election-related violence in the state, officials said.
Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Akhilesh Kumar Singh, told