Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll records 56.35 per cent turnout by 1 pm

Voter turnout in the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election in Assam reached 56.35 per cent by 1 pm on Tuesday, October 6 with polling underway across the constituency amid tight security and extensive monitoring arrangements.

According to the latest figures, Lahorighat recorded the highest turnout at 61.48 per cent, followed by Samaguri at 58.81 per cent, Jagiroad at 58.13 per cent, Rupohihat at 57.97 per cent, Dhing at 57.01 per cent, Morigaon at 55.61 per cent, Raha at 51.70 per cent and Nagaon-Batadroba at 47.07 per cent.

Former Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi exercised his franchise at the Morikolong High School polling station in Nagaon as voting continued across the constituency.

Polling began at 7 am and will continue until 5 pm on Tuesday. A total of 2,112 polling stations, including five auxiliary booths, five model polling stations and 335 women-managed booths, have been set up for the by-election.

As many as 19,02,009 voters are eligible to cast their ballots, comprising 9,58,595 men, 9,43,364 women and 50 third-gender voters. A total of 15 candidates are contesting the seat.

The Nagaon and Morigaon district administrations have deployed around 9,664 polling personnel to conduct the election. The arrangements include 86 micro-observers, 69 Flying Squad Teams and 69 Static Surveillance Teams. Webcasting has also been arranged at all polling stations to facilitate real-time monitoring of the voting process.

The by-election has emerged as a direct contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress in a constituency that has witnessed closely fought electoral battles. The BJP is seeking to wrest the seat from the Congress following Bordoloi's resignation and subsequent alignment with the BJP.

The BJP has fielded Debashish Sharma, a former Nagaon district commissioner who entered electoral politics after retiring from government service. He is contesting against Congress candidate Sibamoni Bora, a former legislator from the now-redrawn Batadroba constituency.

All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief and sitting Binnakandi MLA Badruddin Ajmal is also in the fray. Ajmal, a former Lok Sabha member from Dhubri, is seeking a return to Parliament through the by-election.

Polling is being conducted under enhanced administrative and security arrangements, with surveillance teams and webcasting mechanisms deployed across the constituency. The counting of votes is scheduled to take place on October 9.