Guwahati: Voting for the by-election to Nagaon Lok Sabha seat in Assam concluded peacefully on Tuesday as 76.16% of over 19 lakh electors exercised their franchise.Election officials said that the final poll percentage, however, is expected to rise marginally as electors who entered the polling stations before the closure of the gates would be allowed to cast their votes.The counting of votes is scheduled for Oct 9.Nagaon Lok Sabha seat remained vacant after former MP Pradyut Bodoloi quit Congress and joined BJP in March, ahead of the state assembly elections. Bordoloi later won the assembly elections on a BJP ticket from Dispur constituency.Officials said voting commenced at 7am on Tuesday and the process remained peaceful with no untoward incident.Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency has eight assembly constituencies, out of which four are minority-dominated.The official said that minor EVM glitches were reported from a few polling booths, but the machines were immediately replaced and polling continued.According to ECI data, the highest turnout of 80.27% was registered in Samaguri assembly constituency and the lowest of 70.55% in Raha. On the other hand, Morigaon recorded 72.88% turnout, Nagaon-Batadraba 72.19%, Rupahihat 78.02%, Dhing 78.13%, Jagiroad 76.71% and Laharighat 78.98%.BJP candidate Devasish Sharma, a former IAS officer, cast his vote at a polling booth in Mayong Higher Secondary School under Jagiroad assembly constituency, while Congress candidate and former MLA Sibamoni Bora exercised his franchise at Majgaon Primary School in Nagaon-Batadraba assembly segment. “Voters will elect a suitable candidate,” Sharma said.Sharma took voluntary retirement after serving for 34 years on Sept 4 and joined BJP on Sept 8. He was serving as district commissioner of Nagaon at the time of taking voluntary retirement, barely a few months ahead of his scheduled retirement.Bora said, “Everyone is aware that BJP and AIUDF are the same entity, but I am confident that Congress will retain the seat.”Fifteen candidates are in the fray, but the main contest is expected to be among Sharma, Bora and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief and current Binnakandi MLA and former three-time MP Badruddin Ajmal.A total of 19.05 lakh voters, including 9.43 lakh women and 50 third-gender electors, were eligible to cast their votes at 2,312 polling stations, including five auxiliary booths.
