Assam Bypolls 2024: Final voter turnouts as Samaguri finishes with highest polling, Sildi lowest

The Election Commission of India in October announced the dates for by-elections in 48 assembly constituencies and two Lok Sabha seats apart from assembly polls in Jharkhand and Maharashtra. Most of the assembly seats fell vacant after sitting MLAs were elected to the Lok Sabha in the general elections earlier this year.

In Assam, five assembly constituencies — Behali, Bongaigaon, Dholai, Samaguri, and Sidli — will head to polls, with voting set to be held on Wednesday (November 13). The counting of votes will be done on November 23.

These five Assembly seats became vacant earlier this year after several MLAs transitioned to parliamentary roles following the Lok Sabha elections. This included two MLAs from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including a cabinet minister, along with one each from alliance partners Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United Peoples Party Liberal (UPPL), as well as one from the opposition Congress.

In the recent elections, BJP’s Parimal Suklabaidya, representing the Dholai Assembly segment, and Ranjit Dutta from Behali, successfully contested for the Cachar and Tezpur Lok Sabha seats, respectively. Additionally, veteran AGP leader Phani Bhushan Choudhury, a longstanding figure in the Bongaigaon constituency since 1985, won the Barpeta Lok Sabha seat. Meanwhile, UPPL's Joyanta Basumatary, the former MLA from Sidli, also made headlines by securing the Kokrajhar seat.

For live updates on by-polls, follow Pratidin Time.

Nov 13, 2024 20:02 IST
Assam Bypolls: Final voter turnouts as Samaguri finishes with highest polling, Sildi lowest
According to the latest ECI approximation, Samaguri recorded the highest voter turnout of 78.10 per cent, followed by Behali with 73.70 per cent. The Sidli constituency, on the other hand, saw the lowest voter turnout of 71.50 per cent.
Voter turnout:
• Dholai: 72.40%
• Behali: 73.70%
• Sidli: 71.50%
• Samaguri: 78.10%
• Bongaigaon: 72.00%



Nov 13, 2024 19:51 IST
BJP-Congress workers clash at Dholai polling booth
Congress and BJP workers were embroiled in a fistfight at the BNPA School polling booth in Dholai, Assam. Congress workers alleged that they tried to interject as the BJP workers under MLA Krishnendu Paul were involved in rigging the electoral process when the scuffle broke out.
On the other hand, the BJP accused Congress workers of entering the centre and rigging the voting process there.
However, it has been reported that the Karimganj MLA, Paul was not at the scene during the clash.



Nov 13, 2024 18:07 IST
Assam Bypolls: Voter turnout as of 5 pm
According to the Election Commission's latest approximation, the Samaguri constituency in Assam witnessed the most polling recording 78.10 per cent turnout. The lowest voter turnout was recorded in Bongaigaon recording 69.08 per cent polling.
Latest voter turnout data as of 5 pm:
• Samaguri: 78.10%
• Bongaigaon: 69.08%
• Dholai: 72.40%
• Behali: 73.70%
• Sidli: 71.50%



Nov 13, 2024 15:43 IST
Voter Turnout as of 3:00 PM
Voter Turnout Update (3:00 PM):
• Bongaigaon: 66.94%
• Dholai: 60.01%
• Behali: 64.34%
• Sidli: 64.22%
• Samaguri: 66.33%



Nov 13, 2024 14:52 IST
EVM Malfunctions Disrupt Voting at Dholai Polling Station
Two EVMs malfunctioned at the 77th and 78th polling stations at Dholai’s Mojaid Ali Rural High School, disrupting the voting process for nearly an hour. Over 2,000 voters are registered at both stations, and the EVMs stopped functioning after 30% of the votes had been cast.



Nov 13, 2024 14:31 IST
Chaos at Sonaribali Polling Booth: Voting Halted for 30 mins
Tension erupts at the 14th polling station of Sonaribali in Samaguri. Voting has been suspended for nearly 30 minutes. The Presiding Officer has accused the polling staff of misbehaviour. Election officials swiftly responded to the scene.



Nov 13, 2024 14:12 IST
Tensions Erupt at Polling Station in Samaguri
The atmosphere turned volatile at another polling station in the Samaguri constituency, sparking widespread concern and attention. Reports indicate a tense situation at the No. 6 Bhagamukh Muktab School polling centre, where allegations of voter manipulation surfaced.
Eyewitnesses claim that BJP-backed operatives attempted to cast fraudulent votes, leading to chaos at the site. The situation escalated when individuals opposing the fraudulent activity intervened, resulting in heightened tensions and a charged atmosphere.



Nov 13, 2024 13:35 IST
Voter Turnout as of 1:00 PM
Voter Turnout Update (1:00 PM):
• Bongaigaon: 50.32%
• Dholai: 44.05%
• Behali: 55.60%
• Sidli: 49.82%
• Samaguri: 51.20%



Nov 13, 2024 12:45 IST
BJP’s Nihar Ranjan Das Confident of Winning Dholai by 60,000 Votes
BJP candidate Nihar Ranjan Das visited several polling stations in the Dholai constituency during the ongoing by-elections. Speaking to the media, Das expressed confidence in his victory, stating, "I am certain of winning by a margin of 60,000 votes."
 



Nov 13, 2024 12:13 IST
Journalist’s Vehicle Attacked by Miscreants While Following Rakibul Hussain’s Convoy
A journalist's vehicle was attacked by miscreants at Salpara in Samaguri. Reports indicate that the assailants damaged the vehicle by hurling stones at it. The vehicle was reportedly following the convoy of MP Rokibul Hussain when the attack occurred.



Nov 13, 2024 11:56 IST
Voter Turnout as of 11 AM
Voter Turnout Update (11:00 AM):
• Bongaigaon: 32.90%
• Dholai: 24.65%
• Behali: 30.40%
• Sidli: 32.20%
• Samaguri: 31.65%



Nov 13, 2024 10:40 IST
Rakibul Hussain Accuses BJP Workers of Hooliganism Outside His House, Sends Text To CM
Congress MP Rakibul Hussain has alleged that BJP workers gathered outside his residence on Tuesday night and engaged in hooliganism. He filed a complaint at the Nagaon Sadar Police Station, accusing them of intimidation, threats, and using obscene language.
In a statement to reporters, Hussain, after showing a video of the incident, said, "If this continues, I will leave politics altogether."
He also mentioned that he sent a message to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at 1 AM, expressing his concerns over the matter.



Nov 13, 2024 10:31 IST
EVM Malfunction Reported at Polling Station 99 in Samaguri
The Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at polling station 99 in Samaguri malfunctioned early in the morning. The EVM had to be replaced with a new one, which arrived at around 10 AM. The issue temporarily led to confusion and frustration among voters.



Nov 13, 2024 09:53 IST
Heated Situation at Two Polling Booths In Samaguri: BJP Workers Accused of Violence
A tense situation erupted at the two polling booths in Samaguri as BJP workers were accused of causing disruptions with allegations including assaulting Congress workers and attacking police officers at booths 89 and 90.
Following the incident, the police have strengthened security in the area to maintain order and ensure smooth voting.



Nov 13, 2024 09:42 IST
Voter Turnout as of 9:30 AM
Voter Turnout Update (9:30 AM):
• Bongaigaon: 15.34%
• Dholai: 9.15%
• Behali: 11.00%
• Sidli: 12.51%
• Samaguri: 14.70%



Nov 13, 2024 09:00 IST
Pregnant Woman Injured in Jostling at Samaguri Polling Booth
A pregnant woman was reportedly injured at the polling booth No 53 at Bajiyagaon in Samaguri during the voting process this morning. The incident occurred while she was waiting in queue to cast her vote.
However, due to the pressure and jostling in the crowd, the woman was hurt and is now in a critical condition. She has been rushed to Nagaon Medical College Hospital for immediate treatment.



Nov 13, 2024 08:05 IST
Voting Underway Across Five Constituencies
Polling commenced at 7 AM and is scheduled to conclude at 5 PM, with voting taking place across 1,078 centers. More than nine lakh registered voters are expected to cast their ballots, supported by around 9,000 polling personnel ensuring a smooth and secure process.



Nov 12, 2024 21:29 IST
Congress Candidate Jayanta Borah’s Hotel Raided by Police, Top Officials Involved
A sudden raid was conducted by the police at the hotel of Congress candidate for the Behali by-polls Jayanta Borah. The operation targeted the Royal Palace and Royal Aawas hotels in Biswanath Chariali and was led by senior police officers, with the district magistrate present at the scene. The exact reasons behind the unexpected search operation remain unclear at this time.



Nov 12, 2024 18:49 IST
Assam Bypolls: Opposition Bloc's Behali Candidate Bibek Das Replaced
In a significant political shift, Bibek Das, the CPI (ML) candidate for the upcoming by-elections in the Behali constituency, has been replaced by another contender.
The Asom Sonmilito Morcha (ASOM) is expected to announce a new candidate to take Das's place, with speculation suggesting that retired forest officer Prasanta Gogoi may be the frontrunner for the nomination, though official confirmation is still pending.
This decision follows objections raised by the Congress party, a key member of the coalition, regarding Das's candidacy. Jitendra Singh, in-charge of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), had sent a letter outlining the party's concerns, resulting in the coalition to reconsider its candidate for the Bihali constituency.
Read more.



Nov 12, 2024 18:42 IST
Assam Bypolls: 38 Candidates in Fray Across Five Constituencies
A total of 38 candidates have submitted their nomination papers for the upcoming by-elections in five assembly constituencies of Assam—Behali, Dholai, Samaguri, Bongaigaon, and Sidli.
The by-elections are scheduled to take place on November 13.
On the final day of filing nominations, 24 candidates submitted their papers. According to the Chief Electoral Officer of Assam, three candidates filed nominations for Dholai, one for Sidli, five for Bongaigaon, 12 for Samaguri, and three for Behali. With these additions, the total number of candidates stands at 38.
Read more.