Guwahati, April 22 Around 52.80 per cent of the 7,96,829 voters have exercised their franchise in the 60-seat Guwahati Municipal Corporation election which was held on Friday, officials said.
The polling has passed off peacefully, and without any incident.
In all, 197 candidates from 57 wards were in the fray in the election that was held after a gap of nine years.
Three BJP candidates in three wards were earlier already elected unopposed.
Officials of the State Election Commission said no untoward incident has been reported since polling began at 7.30 a.m. and ended at 4.30 p.m.
Electronic Voting Machines are being used in the politically important elections.
Besides the ruling BJP and the main opposition Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded 38 candidates, giving added importance to the polls.
After its win in the recent Punjab Assembly elections, and buoyed by its first taste of success in two municipal wards in Lakhimpur and Tinsukia districts in last month's civic polls, the AAP is seeking to expand its base in Assam and in the northeastern region.
The political parties both national and local, have gone all out to woo the people promising a flood-free, crime-free and development centric city with piped water to all households besides availability of all other basic civic amenities.
The BJP had given seven seats to its ally, Asom Gana Parishad.
Altogether 7,96,829 voters including 3,99,911 females and 27 belonging to the third gender are eligible to exercise their franchise.
The votes will be counted on April 24.
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