Notwithstanding the election boycott and bandh called by some non-Rabha groups, over 60 per cent votes were cast on Saturday in the second phase of the polls to the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council in lower Assam. While no polling was recorded in five to six polling centres till around 1 p.m., State Election Commissioner Biren Dutta told The Hindu , “…We are still awaiting the final report from these polling centres [in Garo-dominated areas] to confirm if [they] recorded nil voting.”
Several Garo tribal organisations in the RHAC were among those who had called for a boycott of the council poll. Mr. Dutta said polling passed off peacefully.
On Saturday, polling was held in 189 centres for 12 of the RHAC’s 36 seats. The first phase, held for 13 seats on November 13, recorded over 70 per cent polling. The third and final phase is scheduled for November 25.
