Guwahati, May 2 (PTI) An estimated 8.47 per cent electorate exercised their franchise in the first phase of panchayat polls in Assam during the initial two hours of polling on Friday, officials said.

Voting began at 7:30 am and will continue till 4.30 pm in 14 districts of the state, and there was no report of any untoward incident so far, they said.

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Polling in the first phase is being held in the districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Majuli, Jorhat, Golaghat, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Cachar, Hailakandi and Sribhumi.

Lakhimpur reported the highest polling at 14 per cent, while Dibrugarh recorded the lowest of 7 per cent. Reports from Majuli and Hailakandi were yet to come in, the officials said.

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In the first phase, over 89.59 lakh people, including 44.66 lakh males and 44.93 females, are eligible to cast their votes at 12,916 polling booths.

There are 216 zilla parishads, 94 anchalik panchayats and 1,139 gaon panchayats in the first phase of the polls.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma urged voters to exercise their franchise to strengthen democracy at the grassroots.

'I urge every eligible voter to cast their votes in Phase 1 of the #AssamPanchayatPolls today. Your vote matters and will go a long way in strengthening democracy in the grassroots,' Sarma said in a post on X.

The second phase of the panchayat elections will be held on May 7 in the districts of Dhubri, South Salmara, Mankachar, Goalpara, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Bajali, Nalbari, Kamrup, Kamrup(Metro), Hojai, Nagaon, Morigaon and Darrang.

Repoll, if any, for the first phase will be held on May 4 and for the second phase on May 9.

The counting of votes for both phases will take place on May 11.

A total of 348 zila parishad and anchalik parishad candidates have been already elected uncontested, as the ruling NDA established a lead with 325 seats, according to the Assam State Election Commission.

The NDA has secured 37 zila parishads (35 BJP and 2 AGP) and 288 anchalik panchayats (259 BJP and 29 AGP) seats unopposed, it said.

Independents have won 15 anchalik parishad seats, the Congress nine and the AIUDF one seat uncontested.

Panchayat polls are being held for the first time after the delimitation of constituencies in Assam.

Seven districts of the state are under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, where autonomous council polls are held.

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