Moderate to brisk polling amid tight security was underway on Tuesday in the northeastern state of Meghalaya for elections to the 60-member Assembly, an official said here.
"Voting is going on peacefully so far and the enthusiasm has been very encouraging in some areas, voting was on at a brisk pace. There has been no report of poll violence," Chief Electoral Officer Frederick Roy Kharkongor told IANS.
He said over 16 per cent of the 18.9 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 10 a.m.
"There have been large numbers of VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) machines which were malfunctioned, but they were replaced immediately to ensure smooth conduct of the polls," Kharkongor said.
Polling in Williamnagar seat was countermanded following the killing of Nationalist Congress Party candidate Jonathone Sangma in an IED blast at Sawilgre area in East Garo Hills district on February 18.
Governor Ganga Prasad has exercised his franchise at the All Saints Polling Station under East Shillong Assembly constituency.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, who is contesting from two constituencies - Ampati and Songsak - urged the people of the state to exercise their voting rights in a responsible and judicious manner.
Former Union Minister and National People's Party (NPP) candidate Agatha.K. Sangma, Home Minister H.D.R. lyngdoh of the Congress, leader of Opposition Donkupar Roy of the United Democratic Party and Hill State People's Democratic Party Chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit have also exercised their franchise.
As many as 340 polling stations have been categorised as "critical" and 580 as "vulnerable".
Balloting in 183 polling stations will be webcast, to be made available at the offices of the Chief Electoral Officer or District Electoral Officer and the Election Commission of India, Kharkongor said.
As many as 66 all-women polling stations and 61 model polling stations have been set up.
Mawlai constituency in East Khasi Hills district has the highest voters at 42,670, and Dalu in West Garo Hills the lowest 18,640 voters.
In all, 106 companies of central armed police forces have been deployed to ensure peaceful polls, he said.
In the 2013 Meghalaya Assembly elections, the voter turnout was recorded at 87.97 per cent.
38% voting recorded in Nagaland
Kohima: Voting to elect new lawmakers to the 60-member Nagaland Assembly was underway on Tuesday. Over 38 per cent polling was recorded till 11 a.m., election officials said.
One person was injured when a bomb went off at a polling station and a mob destroyed a Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machine in Tizit constituency in the eastern part of the state, Chief Electoral Officer Abhijit Sinha told IANS.
He said polling has resumed and was going on smoothly in the affected polling station under Tizit assembly seat.
"There are also reports of some stray incidents but voting is going on peacefully so far and the enthusiasm has been very encouraging in some areas," he said.
Three-time Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party's (NDDP) has been declared elected unopposed from the Northern Angami-II constituency after his lone rival candidate Chupfuo Angami of the ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) withdrew his nomination on February 12.
The newly floated NDPP which has stitched an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contesting in 40 and 20 assembly seats, respectively.
However, the incumbent Chief Minister T.R.Zeliang voiced confidence that the NPF will retain power in Nagaland.
"We are confident that we will emerge single largest party on March 3. We will retain and lead the government," Zeliang told IANS.
The run-up to the polls saw several twists and turns - with the Core Committee of Nagaland Tribal Hohos and Civil Organisations (CCNTHCO) demanding a solution to the vexed Naga problem before the elections.
Sinha said the polling time in 103 polling stations spread over six districts will be from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., while the polling time for the remaining 2,053 polling stations is 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A total of 11.70 lakh voters will exercise their franchise in 2,156 polling stations of which 1,062 are critical, 530 vulnerable and 564 normal, he said.
Over 15,000 government employees have been deployed for poll duty and there will be 177 all-women polling stations across 25 constituencies in the state.
Sinha said there are 55 election observers, including 22 general and expenditure observers each and 11 police observers, besides 442 mirco observers.