The first phase of panchayat elections in Assam began on Friday across 14 districts, with enthusiastic voter turnout witnessed early in the day as long queues formed at polling stations.
The districts participating in this phase are Sonitpur, Biswanath, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat, Majuli, Golaghat, Cachar, Hailakandi, and Sribhumi.
The Assam State Election Commission confirmed that all necessary arrangements were made to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful election. Over 1.20 lakh polling personnel and a substantial security presence were deployed at 25,007 polling stations.
Polling in Two Phases
The election will be conducted in two phases:
- Phase 1: April 29 (14 districts)
- Phase 2: May 7 (13 districts)
- Counting of votes: May 11
More than 1.80 crore voters, including 90.71 lakh men, 89.65 lakh women, and 408 voters from other categories, are eligible to cast their vote in both phases combined.
NDA’s Early Lead
Even before polling commenced, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a significant lead:
- 37 Zila Parishad seats won unopposed (35 by BJP, 2 by AGP)
- 288 Anchalik Panchayat seats won unopposed (259 by BJP, 29 by AGP)
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed confidence in a sweeping victory for the NDA, stating that the unopposed wins are a reflection of the public’s strong faith in the alliance and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
“The NDA is all set to sweep the Panchayat elections in Assam. This is an unprecedented mandate,” CM Sarma posted on X.
The panchayat elections are crucial for grassroots governance and hold strategic importance for parties ahead of the 2026 Assam Legislative Assembly elections.