67 per cent voter turnout in Assam’s Tiwa Autonomous Council elections

GUWAHATI:

The Tiwa Autonomous Council elections recorded a voter turnout of 67 per cent up to closing time, the Assam State Election Commission informed on December 17 evening.

The polls are being conducted by the election commission in 35 of the 36 council constituencies across Nagaon, Morigaon, Hojai and Kamrup (Metro) districts amid tight security and by adhering to all COVID-19 protocols.

Gobha council constituency in Morigaon district went uncontested.

“The tentative polling percentage up to closing time (4.30 pm) was 67 per cent,” the website of the election commission said.

The TAC polls are being conducted after almost a decade, after a series of protests by Amri Karbi groups in six council constituencies under Dimoria tribal block of Kamrup Metro district, had stalled the elections since 2010.

The groups, which boycotted the polls on Thursday, are demanding exclusion of the six constituencies under Dimoria block from the Tiwa Autonomous council, claiming that there was a sizable Amri Karbi population in the constituencies as against a minuscule Tiwa population.

The organisations had also organised a series of sit-in demonstrations and rallies ahead of the polls.

Meanwhile, barring an incident of protesters burning tyres on the road at Chandrapur in Digaru constituency, the polls across the four districts passed off peacefully.

124 candidates are contesting in the elections to the autonomous council.

The ruling party in the state, BJP, is contesting in 35 council seats while its ally, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) is contesting one seat. The Opposition Congress is contesting all the 36 seats.

Counting of votes will be held on December 19.

(Edited by Laxmi Chyrmang)