AGARTALA: Voting is under way for the 60-member Assembly in Tripura amid tight security, said Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gitte Kirankumar Dinakarrao on Thursday.
Polling began at 7am and will continue till 4pm.
Altogether 28.13 lakh voters are scheduled to exercise their franchise during the day in 3,337 polling stations of the northeastern state to determine the fate of 259 candidates, he said.
No untoward incident or EVM technical snag was reported from any part of the state in the first hour, he said.
Of the 3,337 polling stations, 1,100 booths have been identified as sensitive and 28 as critical.
As many as 97 booths are being managed by women polling personnel.
The international and interstate boundaries had been sealed to keep trouble-makers at bay during the voting process, he said.
As part of precautionary measures, prohibitory orders have been imposed across the state till 6am on February 17, the CEO stated.
“As many as 31,000 polling personnel and 25,000 security personnel of central forces will be on guard to ensure the election is conducted in a free, fair and peaceful manner. Besides, 31,000 officials of the state armed police and the state police will be deployed at various places to maintain law and order,” he explained.
Dinakarrao said an air ambulance had been stationed at Agartala airport for emergencies.
Urging electors to come out and exercise their democratic right, the CEO said necessary steps had been made for their safety.