Counting begins for Assam Assembly polls amid strict Covid protocols PTI Guwahati | Updated on Electoral fate of 946 candidates will be decided during the exercise Counting of votes got under way Sunday morning for the Assam Assembly elections, with most exit polls predicting a victory for the BJP-led alliance for the second time in a row. The electoral fate of 946 candidates, including 74 women, who contested the three-phase polls for the 126-member Assembly, will be decided during the exercise. Three-tier security Counting started at 8 am in 331 designated halls where the Election Commission has put in place various measures to ensure strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols, as the State has witnessed a surge in cases.