Dhubri/Tezpur, Nov. 7: High voter turnout marked today’s byelections to the South Salmara seat in Dhubri district and Dhekiajuli in Sonitpur.

Though supporters of the Congress and the AIUDF clashed at Simultola and Bandihana in South Salmara constituency last night, there was no report of any untoward incident during polling in the two constituencies.

The percentage of polling in South Salmara and Dhekiajuli was 77 and 70 till reports last came in. The figure is likely to go up at the final count, officials said.

There are seven candidates in the fray in each of the constituencies.

The bypolls had been necessitated following the election of sitting MLA from South Salmara, Badruddin Ajmal, and Joseph Toppo from Dhekiajuli, to the Lok Sabha.

Last night, supporters of the Congress and AIUDF clashed. Four of the seriously injured were admitted to Dhubri Civil Hospital. One of them, Omar Ali of Bandihana, was today shifted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital.

The Dhubri district Congress president, Nazibul Umar, said the trend of voting clearly indicated that the Congress would win the South Salmara seat. “I am confident that the people of South Salmara favour the Congress and came out to vote without fear.”

Of the 1,32,214 voters in South Salmara, 68,656 are men. Ninety-nine per cent of the voters belong to the minority community.

Of the 1,61,659 voters in Dhekiajuli constituency, 84,295 are male.

Though eight polling stations in the constituency were categorised as hyper- sensitive, no untoward incident was reported from anywhere.

The AGP is supported by the BJP in the Adivasi-dominated Dhekiajuli constituency.

Though the outcome of today’s byelections will not affect the Tarun Gogoi-led coalition in Dispur, the Congress and the Opposition parties see the fight as a prelude to a bigger electoral battle in the 2011 Assembly elections.