Electorates in Nagaland and Meghalaya on Monday are casting their votes in the assembly elections.
The voting for assembly by-elections on a seat in Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Jharkhand each are also being held on Monday.
Voting for the Nagaland Assembly polls began at 7 am, with over 13 lakh electors set to decide the electoral fate of 183 candidates, officials said.
The nominees are contesting in 59 out of 60 seats, as the Akuluto seat in Zunheboto district was won uncontested by BJP nominee and sitting MLA Kazheto Kinimi.
Polling will continue till 4 pm, while counting of votes will be on March 2.
The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the BJP are contesting the polls on a 40:20 seat-sharing basis.
The Congress, which ruled the state till 2003 and does not have any member in the current House, has fielded 23 aspirants.
Polling began in 59 of 60 assembly constituencies in Meghalaya at 7 am as 21.6 lakh voters are eligible to seal the electoral fate of 369 candidates, with the ruling National People’s Party fighting to retain power and the BJP, Trinamool Congress and other regional parties vying to bring about a change in the government.
Voting is underway at 3,419 polling stations, of which 640 have been categorised as vulnerable’ and 323 as critical’, Chief Electoral Officer F R Kharkongor said.
Polling will continue till 4 pm.
Thirty-six of the 369 candidates are women, with the largest number of 10 women candidates being put up by the Congress.
Polling in Sohiong assembly constituency has been adjourned due to the death of one of the candidates.
