An estimated 9.47 per cent of the total 81.09 lakh electors exercised their franchise till 9 am in 47 constituencies of Assam where polling is underway with strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols in the first phase of elections on Saturday.

Long queues were seen outside polling booths with voters and election officials adhering to COVID-19 protocols.

First voters in many polling stations were greeted with saplings.

Voting began at 7 am in the northeastern state to decide the fate of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and a host of ministers and opposition leaders, the official said.

Altogether 264 candidates, including 23 women, are in the fray, he said.

A total of 300 companies of security forces have been deployed in the first phase, in which people are voting at 11,537 polling stations across 12 districts of upper Assam and the northern bank of Brahmaputra.