Assam Assembly Elections: Over 450 Candidates Lose Security Deposits
Election Results Overview
A file image from a BJP campaign (Photo - @himantabiswa / X)
GUWAHATI, May 11: In the recent Assam Assembly elections, 455 out of 722 candidates lost their security deposits.
Among those who forfeited their deposits, four were from the BJP, 18 from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), 10 each from the Congress and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), 16 from the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), 7 from the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), 248 were independents, and 102 belonged to registered but unrecognized parties.
The candidates included 418 males and 37 females.
The election results showcased significant winning margins for both NDA and opposition candidates, reflecting a high level of polarization.
For Legislative Assembly elections, the security deposit is set at Rs 5,000 for general candidates and Rs 2,500 for those from Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Scheduled Castes (SC).
According to section 158(4) of The Representation of the People Act, 1951, a candidate who fails to secure more than one-sixth of the valid votes cast in their constituency will lose their security deposit.
This election featured 722 candidates, averaging six per seat. Notably, two constituencies had as many as 15 candidates, while nine constituencies had a direct contest between two candidates.
Candidates represented five national parties, four state parties, five parties from other states, and 14 registered unrecognized parties.
A report from the Election Commission indicated that female voter turnout surpassed that of males, with 1,08,37,040 females voting compared to 1,06,97,888 males, and 113 from the third gender. The state achieved a remarkable turnout of 86.33% in this election, including postal ballots.
In contrast, the previous election recorded a turnout of 82.04%, with male participation at 97,00,486 and female at 94,76,334.