Date:31/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/31/stories/2007123160771200.htm

National

Assam panchayat polls today amid boycott call

Sushanta Talukdar

Guwahati: Assam is going to the first phase of panchayat polls on Monday amid calls for poll boycott and a bandh issued by the Janagosthiya Aikyamancha — the coordination committee of organisations of the six communities demanding Scheduled Tribe status.

The first phase of the three-phase polls will be held in Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Golaghat and Jorhat districts.

A total of 39.43-lakh voters will decide the fate of more than 26,451 candidates for the first phase of polling for 132 Zila Parishad constituencies, 655 Anchalik Panchayat members, 655 Gaon Panchayat Presidents and 6,550 Gaon panchayat members.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in all the 6,675 polling booths in these seven districts in view of the boycott and bandh call.

The second and third phase of polling will be held on January 4 and 9 respectively while the counting of votes will be taken up on January 28

City normal

The bandh, however, did not evoke any response in the city. There was no report of any untoward incidents during the day.