AIZAWL: Voting for elections to the 40-member assembly in Mizoram began at 7 am on Tuesday, amid tight security arrangements, officials said. Polling will continue till 4 pm.
Nearly 53 per cent of 8.57 lakh electors cast their votes till 1 pm on Tuesday in the Mizoram assembly elections, officials said.
According to the polling trends, the voting percentage has been recorded at 52.73 in the first six hours of polling, as per the Election Commission data.
Of the 11 districts, Serchhip recorded the highest polling percentage of 60.37, followed by Khawzawl at 60.20 and Lawngtlai at 59.31 till 1 pm, it added.
Over 8.57 lakh voters, including 4.39 lakh women, are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the electoral fate of 174 candidates.
The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), main opposition Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and Congress have fielded candidates in all 40 seats.
The BJP is contesting in 23 constituencies, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has nominated candidates in four assembly segments. Besides, there are 27 independent candidates.
Technical glitches in EVM were reported from a polling station in Aizawl where Chief Minister Zoramthanga went to exercise his franchise, another official said.
"The CM had, in the morning, gone to Ramhlun Venglai Primary School polling station, but the EVM was not working at that time. So, he went back home and came again at 9. 40 am to exercise his franchise," the official added.
State Congress president Lalsawta also cast his vote at a polling station in his Aizawl West-III constituency at 7.40 am.
Of the 1,276 polling stations across Mizoram, 149 are remote voting centres, and 30 along the inter-state and international borders have been declared critical and vulnerable.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made with 7,200 personnel deployed across the state to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections, the officials said.
The 510-km-long international border with Myanmar and the 318-km boundary with Bangladesh have been sealed ahead of the polling of assembly constituencies.
The counting of votes will take place on December 3.
A voter turnout of 81.61 per cent was recorded in the previous assembly elections in 2018.
The MNF had won 26 of the 40 seats, securing two more in subsequent bypolls, while the opposition ZPM had won eight constituencies, relegating Congress, which had bagged five assembly segments, to third place. The BJP had opened its account in the Christian-majority state, winning one seat.
Meanwhile, polling for the by-election to Tapi assembly seat in Nagaland's Mon district was progressing smoothly with 60 per cent of over 15,000 voters exercising their franchise till 11 a.m. on Tuesday, an official said.