Silchar Municipal Corporation Election Sees High Voter Turnout Amid Rain
Polling Day Challenges in Silchar
Voters queue up despite inclement weather at a polling booth in Silchar. (AT Photo)
Silchar, Oct 3: On Saturday, voters in Silchar faced rain and waterlogging as they participated in the inaugural election for the newly formed Silchar Municipal Corporation.
As per the latest update from the State Election Commission, the provisional voter turnout reached 63.43% by 4:30 PM, with final figures pending.
Cachar SSP Partha Protim Das reported that the polling process was predominantly peaceful.
“The election for the Silchar Municipal Corporation proceeded smoothly, with most voting completed; only a few final procedures remain,” SSP Das stated.
He did mention that minor altercations occurred outside one polling station, but assured that the situation was under control, noting that no arrests were made.
Polling commenced at 7 AM across 303 of the 316 polling stations in 40 wards, with approximately 2.73 lakh eligible voters casting their ballots using paper ballots.
In Wards 9 and 20, candidates were elected unopposed.
Initially, turnout was slow, recorded at 2.9% by 9:30 AM, but it increased to 19.24% by 11:30 AM, surpassing 40% by 1:30 PM and reaching 56.3% by 3:30 PM.
For many voters, the pressing issue was not the candidates but the city's infrastructure.
Residents expressed concerns about rain and waterlogging, which made daily movement challenging.
In Ward 38, voters on Link Road had to navigate through standing water to reach polling stations.
“We struggle just to exercise our democratic rights,” remarked a young voter.
“We hear about development everywhere. We want to see Silchar progress similarly,” an elderly voter from Ambikapatty commented after voting.
Niharendra Narayan Tagore, former chairman of the Silchar Municipal Board, noted that the expanded jurisdiction of the corporation poses significant challenges for civic infrastructure development.
“Some areas already have a degree of development, while the newly incorporated regions will require fresh initiatives,” Tagore explained.
Silchar MLA Dr. Rajdeep Roy emphasized the importance of this election in the city's evolution from a municipal board to a municipal corporation.
He advocated for more accessible municipal services, stating, “Residents should not need to visit municipal offices repeatedly for basic services. We need a system that delivers services simply, transparently, and promptly.”
The presence of numerous Independent candidates added a unique aspect to the election, with many focusing their campaigns on local civic issues rather than broader party agendas.
After voting, several Independent candidates expressed optimism about receiving the mandate to represent their wards and address local concerns in the new corporation.
Sonai Congress MLA Aminul Haque Laskar, who voted at Berenga Senior Basic School, suggested that Congress and Independent candidates might collaborate to form the corporation.
He also hinted at a potential “silent vote” among Congress supporters, indicating that the election results might diverge from the prevailing campaign narratives.
The State Election Commission has yet to release the final voter turnout statistics.