The first phase of Assam panchayat polls held on Friday saw a by and large peaceful turnout of 56.41 per cent till 3.30pm.

However, the final count could see a “marked rise” because voting continued till late in the evening at several places, state election commission sources said.

Voting was to take place between 7.30am and 4.30pm in 14 districts where the first phase of polls were held across 12,916 polling booths having over 89.59 lakh voters, including 44.66 lakh males.

Lakhimpur was leading the voter turnout chart with 66.5 per cent, with Dhemaji (62.1) and Majuli (61.67) following closely till the last declared turnout at 3.30pm. Dibrugarh was placed at the bottom of the list with 45 per cent.

Polls were held in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Majuli, Jorhat, Golaghat, Dhemaji, Cachar, Hailakandi, Sribhumi, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur and Biswanath districts amid tight security.

Reports of clashes came in from two to three places in Cachar and Sribhumi districts but were tackled promptly.

There were also reports of a section of voters not finding their names on the voters’ list in one polling station each in Golaghat and Dhemaji districts. “There will be a repoll if there have been lapses,” an official said.

The second phase will be held on May 7 and the results will be declared on May 11. Overall, there are 1.80 crore voters in two phases.

Altogether, there are 216 zilla parishads, 94 anchalik panchayats and 1,139 gaon panchayats in the first phase.

The ruling NDA has already secured 37 zilla parishad seats and 288 anchalik panchayats unopposed. The Independents have won 15 anchalik parishad seats and the Congress nine unopposed and the AIUDF one seat.