Guwahati (Assam) [India], May 2 (HBTV): Voting began on Friday for the first phase of panchayat elections in 14 districts of Assam, with long queues of voters seen at several polling stations in the morning.

The first phase of polling is being conducted in the districts of Sonitpur, Biswanath, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat, Majuli, Golaghat, Cachar, Hailakandi, and Sribhumi.

The Assam State Election Commission stated that all arrangements have been made to ensure free and fair polling, with security personnel deployed at each polling station.

The second phase of polling will be held on May 7 in the remaining 13 districts, and the counting of votes is scheduled for May 11.

More than 1.80 crore voters—comprising 90.71 lakh men, 89.65 lakh women, and 408 voters from the third gender—are eligible to cast their votes across 25,007 polling stations during both phases.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has already secured 37 Zila Parishad seats unopposed—35 by the BJP and two by its ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). Additionally, the alliance has won 288 Anchalik Panchayat seats unopposed, with 259 going to the BJP and 29 to the AGP.

The Assam State Election Commissioner earlier announced that more than 1.20 lakh polling personnel would be deployed alongside adequate security forces to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections.

On April 18, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had expressed confidence that the BJP-led NDA would sweep the panchayat polls.

 ‘The NDA has already secured 37 Zila Parishad (35 BJP and 2 AGP) and 288 Anchalik Panchayat (259 BJP and 29 AGP) seats unopposed. This is a massive and unprecedented mandate in Assam's political history. It reflects the immense trust and overwhelming love that the people of Assam have for the NDA and for our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi,’ Sarma said in a post on X.

He added, ‘We are confident that when the final election results are declared, this tally will grow even more impressive. The NDA is all set to sweep the Panchayat elections in Assam.’

 (ANI)