Over 17% voter turnout till 9 am in Mizoram assembly polls

Aizawl: More than 17 per cent of 8.57 lakh electors cast their votes in the first two hours of polling on Tuesday in the 40-member Mizoram assembly elections, officials said.

Polling, which began at 7 am, will continue till 4 pm.

According to the polling trend, the voting percentage has been recorded at 17.28 till 9 am, an official said.

Mizoram Additional Chief Electoral Officer H. Lianzela said polling has been "peaceful and there has been no law and order issue till now".

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 the 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," she said.

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.