GUWAHATI: Polling for 40 seats in the final phase of the assembly elections in Assam began at 7 AM on Tuesday to decide the fate of 337 candidates, including senior minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, his five cabinet colleagues and state BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass.
People wearing masks and maintaining social distance were seen queuing outside polling stations even before the voting began in the 40 constituencies spread over 12
districts.
In several polling stations, the first voter and senior citizens were greeted with a ‘gamosa’ (traditional towel) and, in some cases, with saplings.
Elections are being held amid tight security as 320 companies of security forces were deployed in the third phase, the highest among all the phases. Altogether 79,19,641 voters—40,11,539 men,39,07,963 women and 139 of the third gender—are entitled to exercise their franchise in 11,401 polling stations.
A total of 45,604 polling personnel have been deployed for this phase. (PTI)
