Guwahati, Oct 30 (PTI) Polling for bye-elections to five Assam Assembly constituencies began at 7 am on Saturday amid heightened security and strict implementation of COVID-19 protocols. Some 7.96 lakh voters will decide the electoral fate of 31 contestants, the state election office said. Voting started in 1,176 polling stations, including 285 in Gossaigaon, 213 in Bhabanipur, 322 in Tamulpur, 183 in Mariani and 173 in Thowra constituencies. Polling will continue till 5 pm in the poll-bound constituencies. The prominent contestants include Rupjyoti Kurmi, Sushanta Borgohain, Phanidhar Talukdar (all BJP); Luhit Konwar, Jowel Tudu, Sailendra Nath Das, Bhaskar Dahal, Monuranjan Konwar (all INC); Krishna Gogoi (CPI); Jiron Basumatary, Jolen Daimary (both UPPL); Dhruba Kumar Brahma Narzary (BPF); Jubbar Ali and Khairul Anam Khandakar (both AIUDF). Bye-election in Gossaigaon and Tamulpur were necessitated due to death of the sitting MLAs, while the incumbents of Bhabanipur, Mariani and Thowra resigned from their seats to join the ruling BJP. PTI ESB JRC JRC JRC