A triangular fight among MNF and Opposition Zoram People’s Party (ZPM) and Congress is expected in the state with just 8.57 lakh voters.
Guwahati: Polling for the 40-member Mizoram Assembly began at 7 am on Tuesday but CM Zoramthanga could not cast his vote due to the reported malfunction of an EVM.
Polling will continue till 4 pm.
Officials said Zoramthanga reached his polling station in Ramhlun Venglai Primary School in Aizawl North II early but had to return home as he could not cast his vote due to a malfunction of an EVM there. He is likely to be in queue again soon to cast his vote.
A large number of voters queued up in front of the polling stations since early morning in the small hilly state having a track record of over 80 per cent polling in the past.
Lalsawta, president of Mizoram unit of Congress was also among the first to cast his vote.
A triangular fight among MNF and Opposition Zoram People’s Party (ZPM) and Congress is expected in the state with just 8.57 lakh voters.
Mizoram is the smallest among the five states going for Assembly elections ahead of Lok Sabha polls next year.
Chief Electoral Officer, Mizoram Madhup Vyas told reporters at Aizawl on Monday that nearly 6,000 polling personnel would conduct the polling in 1,276 polling stations amid security to be manned by the state police and 50 companies of central paramilitary forces. A total of 174 candidates including 18 women are in the fray.
Officials said a total of 14,885 people have already cast their votes through postal ballots and provision of home voting for persons above 80 years and with disabilities.