A steady stream of voters marked the beginning of polling across Assam, with a turnout of 17.87 percent recorded till 9 a.m. on Wednesday, as per the Election Commission of India.
Polling is underway across all 126 constituencies, with voters lining up at booths from early morning hours. The election process is being conducted amid tight security and administrative arrangements to ensure smooth voting.
The contest is primarily between the BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led opposition alliance. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is seeking a third consecutive term for the ruling party, while Gaurav Gogoi is leading the Congress campaign to regain power in the state.
Other key candidates include Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, and Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi.
A total of 722 candidates are contesting the elections, with polling being conducted at 31,490 stations across 35 districts. The electorate comprises over 2.5 crore voters, including more than 1.25 crore women and 318 individuals from the third gender category.
Officials anticipate a higher voter turnout as polling continues through the day.
