Campaigning Ends for First Phase of Assam Panchayat Polls 2025

Campaigning for the first phase of the Assam Panchayat Elections 2025 officially concluded on April 30, paving the way for polling scheduled on May 2. The first phase will cover 14 districts: Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Majuli, Jorhat, Golaghat, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Cachar, Hailakandi, and Sribhumi.

This crucial grassroots election will witness thousands of candidates vying for positions across three tiers—Gaon Panchayat (GP), Anchalik Panchayat (AP), and Zila Parishad (ZP). The use of traditional ballot papers, rather than Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), marks a return to paper-based voting in the state’s rural governance polls.

Over 25,000 polling stations have been set up for this phase, with approximately 1.8 crore voters eligible to exercise their franchise. More than 1.2 lakh polling personnel will be deployed to ensure the smooth and secure conduct of the elections.

In this phase alone, voters will elect members for:

• 21,920 Gaon Panchayat (GP) seats

• 2,192 Anchalik Panchayat (AP) seats

• 397 Zila Parishad (ZP) seats

Educational qualifications have been mandated for candidates—Class 10 for GP candidates and Class 12 for AP and ZP candidates. Additionally, individuals with more than two living children born after March 2018 are barred from contesting.

The campaign trail saw intense political activity from both the ruling alliance and the opposition. The BJP-led NDA has already gained an edge by winning a significant number of seats uncontested—325 in total, including 37 ZP and 288 AP seats. The Congress and other opposition parties have alleged misuse of government resources and have promised stronger MGNREGA implementation, wage hikes, and the completion of pending rural housing schemes.

The Model Code of Conduct is in effect, and 88 official observers have been deployed to monitor the process closely.

The second phase of polling will take place on May 7, covering 13 other districts, while counting of votes for both phases is scheduled for May 11.

Also Read: Assam: Campaigns Heat Up in Mahmora as Panchayat Election Approaches