GUWAHATI: Held after almost a decade, the election to Tiwa Autonomous Council witnessed a voter turnout of 67 per cent up to closing time, the Assam State Election Commission informed on Thursday evening.
The state election commission is conducting the polls in 35 of the 36 council constituencies across Nagaon, Morigaon, Hojai and Kamrup (Metro) districts amid heavy security and by adhering to the prescribed COVID-19 safety protocols.
There was however no election in the Gobha constituency (in Morigaon district), which had gone uncontested.
“The tentative polling percentage up to closing time (4.30pm) was 67 per cent,” the website of the election commission said.
People queued up to as many as 410 polling booths from 7.30am, with polling picking momentum as the day passed.
The voter turnout, according to the state election commission, increased steadily from 14 percent at 9.30 am to 33 percent at 11.30 am, and 47 per cent at 1.30pm to 64 percent at 3.30pm.
A series of protests by Amri Karbi groups in six council constituencies under the Dimoria tribal block of Kamrup Metro district had stalled the elections since 2010.
The groups, which boycotted the polls on Thursday as well, are demanding exclusion of the six constituencies under Dimoria block from the Tiwa Autonomous council, claiming that there was a sizeable Amri Karbi population in the constituencies as against a miniscule Tiwa population.
The organisations had also spearheaded a series of protests in the run-up to the polls, organising sit-in demonstrations, processions and rallies.
Barring an incident of protesters burning tyres on the road at Chandrapur in Digaru constituency, the polls districts passed off peacefully.
As many as 124 candidates are contesting in the elections to the autonomous council.
The ruling BJP is contesting in 35 council seats while its ally, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) is contesting one seat. The Opposition Congress has fielded candidates for all the seats.
Counting of votes will take place on Saturday.