BIG NEWS
- Voting begins for Assam's 126 assembly seats
- Calcutta HC grants bail to Saradha scam accused Suditpa Sen, set for release after 13 years
- RBI keeps policy rate unchanged amid inflationary pressure
- US, Iran agree to 2-week ceasefire; talks likely in Islamabad on Friday
- No exit polls from 7 am of April 9 till 6.30 pm of April 29: EC
- Amaravati notified as Andhra Pradesh capital 12 years after bifurcation
- Air India CEO Campbell Wilson resigns, says source
- UP SIR: Final electoral roll to be published on April 10, says CEO
- SC does not interfere with order allowing Adani to acquire JAL, asks NCLAT to decide expeditiously
- Chhattisgarh HC sentences Amit Jogi to life imprisonment in 2003 Ramavatar Jaggi murder case
Voting begins for Assam's 126 assembly seats
Public Lokpal
April 09, 2026
Voting begins for Assam's 126 assembly seats
GUWAHATI: Polling for all 126 Assam assembly constituencies began on Thursday to decide the electoral fate of 722 candidates, officials said.
In the high-stakes election, the ruling BJP is aiming for a third consecutive term in office, while the Congress seeks to wrest power after being ousted in 2016.
Polling, being held in a single phase, began at 7 am and will conclude at 5 pm. Long queues of voters were seen outside polling stations from early morning.
An electorate of 2.50 crore, including 1.25 crore women and 318 from the third gender, can exercise their franchise in 31,490 polling stations across the state.
Prominent candidates include Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Congress state president Gaurav Gogoi, assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, Leader of the opposition Debabrata Saikia, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi.
Several cabinet ministers, including the AGP’s Atul Bora and Keshav Mahanta, and the BPF’s Charan Boro are also in the fray.
The Congress has the highest of 99 contestants, followed by the BJP (90), AIUDF (30), NDA allies AGP (26) and BPF (11).
Opposition alliance’s Raijor Dal is contesting in 13, AJP in 10, CPI(M) in 3 and APHLC in 2. Outside the two coalitions, the AAP is contesting in 18 seats, UPPL in 18, TMC 22, JMM 16 and there are 258 independents.
The ruling NDA’s main constituents are the BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodo Peoples’ Front (BPF) while the opposition alliance comprises the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), CPI(M), All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC) and CPI(ML).
The counting of votes is scheduled on May 4.
PTI
