From Our Special Correspondent
GUWAHATI: The second phase of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections in Kokrajhar and Chirang districts recorded an impressive voter turnout of 78.80 per cent till closing time, the Assam State Election Commission said.
Polling, like in the first phase, continued beyond the closing time of 4.30pm and the turnout figure is expected to rise further when the final results come out after 9pm, sources said.
The turnout in the second phase BTC polls was a tad higher than the first phase, which recorded a voter turnout of 77.01 percent in Baksa and Udalguri districts last Monday.
The website of the state election commission informed that the polling trends on Thursday picked up after 9.30am (when the polling percentage was 12) with 29.44 percent at 11.30am, 51.51 percent at 1.30pm, 69 percent at 3.30pm and finally 78.80 percent recorded at closing time.
Reports said that voting, which began in the 1400-odd polling stations across 19 constituencies in the two districts from 7.30am, was by and large peaceful, barring a few stray incidents of stone pelting from one of the voting centres in Chirang, and verbal altercations between members of rival parties.
It may be mentioned that a convoy of United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) president Pramod Boro was attacked by unidentified miscreants near Kokrajhar town on Wednesday evening, just hours before the second phase polls. Boro, who was inside a bullet-proof vehicle en route to the party’s office in Kokrajhar, fortunately escaped unhurt.
Elsewhere, polling was by and large peaceful, official sources said.
Altogether 111 candidates are in the fray in the second phase of the polls held amid tight security and strict COVID-19 protocols.
Like in the first phase, volunteers checked voters using thermal scanners and hand sanitisers at the entrance to each polling station while face masks were provided to those who came to vote without wearing them.
Meanwhile, a three-tier security has been in place to guard the sealed ballot boxes in the strong room till counting day on December 12.
The first phase of the polls was conducted successfully across 21 seats in Udalguri and Baksa districts with not a single untoward incident reported.
Elections to the 40-member BTC were scheduled on April 4, 2020 but had to be postponed indefinitely owing to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) chief Hagrama Mohilary said that his party was confident of winning at least 31 seats in the BTC polls.
“We are sure to win 15 seats in Kokrajhar and Chirang and 16 seats in Baksa and Udalguri,” Mohilary said after casting his vote at a polling station in Debargaon constituency (where he is contesting with UPPL) in Kokrajhar district on Thursday morning.
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