Voting began for 40-seat Mizoram assembly elections on Monday amid tight security. The polling was brisk in most parts of the mountainous state.
Men and women were seen queued up in front of polling stations well before voting opened at 7 am. Polling ends at 4 pm.
Of the 40 assembly seats, 39 are reserved for tribals. One seat is for general category.
Results will be declared on Dec 9.
Out of 10.91 lakh people, 6.91 lakh are eligible to vote and will decide the fate of the 142 candidates in the fray.
In all 1,126 polling stations have been set up across the state to hold the elections in the state that share borders with Myanmar (404 km) and Bangladesh (318 km).
A newly-designed device-Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), which confirms to a voter that his or her vote was cast as wished, will be used for the first time in a general election in the country.
VVPAT attached EVMs (Electronic Voting Machine) would be used in 10 of the 40 assembly segments of Mizoram.
Even though there is no major security threat from separatist outfits and Mizoram remained peaceful during the month-long electioneering, around 7,000 para-military, state and other security personnel have been deployed to ensure free and fair polls in the state.
Christians and tribal-dominated Mizoram witnessed peaceful campaigning under a close watch of the powerful Church-controlled Mizoram People's Forum (MPF), a non-government election watchdog.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed 44 senior officials as general, expenditure, police and awareness observers to oversee the polling and related matters.
The main poll battle will be between the ruling Congress, led by Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and the three-party opposition grouping Mizoram Democratic Alliance (MDA), dominated by the MNF, which is headed by former chief minister Zoramthanga.
The other two poll partners of the MDA are Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) and Maraland Democratic Front, both local parties.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, Zoram Nationalist Party and the Nationalist Congress Party are also separately contesting the state elections, fielding candidates in many seats.
Monday's vote would decide the fate of current CM Lal Thanhawla, his eleven cabinet colleagues, Mizoram Women's Congress chief Tlangthanmawii and former chief minister and MNF president Zoramthanga.
Lal Thanhawla, also state Congress chief, is contesting from two constituencies-Serchhip, his home turf, and neighboring Hrangturzo and opposition MNF chief Zoramthanga is trying his electoral fortune from Tuipui East bordering Myanmar.
The Congress-led Mizoram government's flagship programme New Land Use Policy (NLUP) aiming to alleviate poverty and settle farming, the proposed Special Economic Development Programme of the MDA and local issues figured prominently during their campaigns.
During the last assembly elections in December 2008, the Congress won 32 seats, the MNF three and the MDF one. The MPC and ZNP got two seats each.
The MNF, which ruled the state for 10 years till 2008, is the principal opposition party.
(with inputs from IANS)
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