Voting began in Meghalaya and Nagaland. At 7 a.m. on Monday, voting started in 59 of the 60 assembly constituencies in Meghalaya. A total of 21.6 lakh voters will decide the fate of 369 candidates, with the opposition National People's Party, the BJP, the Trinamool Congress, and other local parties all vying for power.
BJP candidate from Pynthorumkhrah, AL Hek casted his vote at a polling station in the Assembly constituency in East Khasi Hills, also meets voters.
Voting is underway at 3,419 polling stations, of which 640 have been classified as 'vulnerable' and 323 as 'critical', Chief Electoral Officer F R Kharkongor said.
Polling will continue until 4 p.m.
Thirty-six of the 369 candidates are women, with the largest number of 10 women candidates being put forward by the Congress.
Nagaland Assembly elections
According to poll officials, voting for the Nagaland Assembly elections started on Monday morning despite strict security measures.
Before the voting in 59 of the 60 Assembly seats began at 7 a.m., voters, including men, women, and those casting their first ballot, lined up in front of the majority of the polling places.
With 11,500 poll workers working in 2,291 polling places, voting would go on uninterrupted until 4 p.m.
Almost 13.16 lakh voters, including 6,55,144 women, will decide the electoral fate of 183 candidates, including four women nominees, on Monday, according to Nagaland Chief Election Officer (CEO) V. Shashank Shekhar.
Five women were among the 190 candidates who ran for the Assembly in the 2018 elections. On March 2, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Nagaland's votes that will be cast on Monday will also be counted.
The interstate borders of Nagaland have been sealed
In view of the Assembly elections in the northeastern state of Nagaland, the interstate borders have been sealed to prevent undesirable elements and materials from being transported into Assembly Constituencies from outside.
As per the Election Commission of India, the voting will start at 7 am today and will conclude at 4 pm. The counting of votes will be held on March 2.
