The third and final phase of polling in Assam was marked by a peaceful turnout of 74.86 per cent till 5pm and a boycott of the election by a village in the Dhubri Lok Sabha constituency for want of proper road connectivity and protection from erosion.

Guwahati, Barpeta, Dhubri and Kokrajhar Lok Sabha seats went to the polls in the third phase on a day which was cloudy for most parts and witnessed intermittent drizzle to moderate rainfall till early afternoon at several places. The queues at the booths got longer by late afternoon and voting continued even after the scheduled close at 5pm.

The first and second phases of polling held on April 19 and April 26 had registered a voter turnout of 78.25 per cent and 81.17 per cent. Assam has a total voter count of 24572114 with the third phase having 8177207 voters.

Of the four seats, Guwahati is held by the BJP, Barpeta by the Congress, Dhubri by the AIUDF and Kokrajhar by an Independent. However, last year’s delimitation exercise is set to impact the eventual result. The ruling BJP and its allies are expecting to increase their seat tally to 12 from 10 in 2019. Assam has 14 seats.

However, despite the smooth and peaceful polling elsewhere, the third and final phase was marred by the boycott of polling by 787 voters of Bhamundanga village in the Golakganj Assembly constituency under Dhubri district.

The village is about 300 metres from the Cooch Behar district of Bengal and about 45km from the district headquarters Dhubri.

An official told The Telegraph that the villagers did not vote because they were unhappy with the government for not constructing a proper road connecting the village and an embankment along the Raidak river to protect them villagers. The village falls under the Golakganj assembly constituency (which has a Congress MLA) and the Dhubri Lok Sabha constituency which has been represented by the AIUDF chief Badrudding Ajmal since 2009. He is seeking re-election.

Villagers raised slogans against the BJP-led state government and Ajmal. One of the villagers told the media that the kutcha road they use becomes difficult to negotiate during the rainy due to the slush generates and the dry season because of the dust. He said they will continue to boycott the polls till their demands are met.

Sources said the villagers had boycotted the 2009 Lok Sabha poll but participated in the subsequent elections but their pleas for a good road and embankment have gone unheeded. The nearest motorable road is about 4km away and the national highway about 8km away, they said.