An estimated 67 per cent voters exercised their franchise during the first phase of assembly polls in Assam in 62 of the 126 assembly constituencies.

"An estimated 67 per cent polling has been recorded according to latest reports. The exact figures will be formulated later," additional Chief Electoral officer M C Sahu told PTI here.

Nearly 35,000 central paramilitary forces were deployed for the elections.

The second and concluding phase of elections will be held on April 11 in the remaining 64 constituencies.

Earlier report:

Twelve per cent of the electorate cast their votes in the first two hours of polling in 62 Assembly constituencies of Assam today.

Election office sources said polling began peacefully on a brisk note at 7:00 AM with long queues of voters before polling booths.

There were reports of EVMs malfunctioning in some constituencies which were immediately replaced and voting continued uninterrupted, the sources said.

With the weather improving after the first two hours, polling was expected to pick up, the sources said.

Chief minister Tarun Gogoi, senior ministers Pradyut Bordoloi, Ajanta Neog, Prithivi Majhi, Gautam Roy and Bharat Chandra Narah are among the 485 candidates in 62 of the 126 Assembly constituencies going to polls in the first phase.

BJP state president Ranjit Dutta, former AGP president Brindaban Goswami and CPI National Council member Promode Gogoi are also contesting.

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