The first phase of voting for the Assam elections began on Saturday, with 47 out of the state’s 126 Assembly constituencies going to the po...
The first phase of voting for the Assam elections began on Saturday, with 47 out of the state’s 126 Assembly constituencies going to the polls in an election, which experts say is likely to be a mandate on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s controversial new Citizenship law.
This is the first election in the state after the completion of the National Register of Citizens and the introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Polling began amid tight security from 7 am and will conclude at 6 pm, with the timing extended by an hour to ensure all coronavirus-related protocols are followed, according to PTI.
A total of 264 candidates are in the fray in the first phase, in which all the seats in Upper and North Assam will be voting, in addition to the five constituencies in the central part of the state that fall in the Nagaon district.
The ruling BJP is contesting in 39 seats while its alliance partner, the Asom Gana Parishad, is fighting from 10 seats. The two parties will also engage in a friendly contest in Lakhimpur and Naharkatiya constituencies.
The Congress-led Grand Alliance, comprising five other parties – the All India United Democratic Front, the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist Party of India...
