Agartala: The counting of votes for the assembly election in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura began today amid tight security, officials said.

Counting began at 8 AM in all the three north eastern states, Election Commission sources said.

Though the strength of each assembly is 60, voting was held for 59 constituencies in all the three states, for different reasons.

While a CPI(M) candidate died in Tripura, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate was killed in Meghalaya, and this resulted in countermanding of the polls in one seat in each of the two states.

In Nagaland, former chief minister Neiphiu Rio won from one seat unopposed.

Tripura went to the polls on February 18 and elections were held in Nagaland and Meghalaya on February 27.

The Additional Chief Electoral Officer of Tripura, Tapas Ray said counting is on in 59 counting halls for 59 constituencies in 20 sub-divisions of all eight districts.

A three-tier security arrangement has been made for all the counting centres, Ray said adding that it is expected that the results would be out by five hours.

In Nagaland, 349 tables in 17 centres across the state have been set up for the counting of votes, its Chief Electoral Officer Abhijit Sinha said.

Votes in Nagaland are being counted in the presence of the candidates and their agents under the supervision of the respective district returning officers and assistant returning officers, State Additional CEO N Moa Aier told PTI.

Meghalaya Chief Electoral Officer F R Kharkongor said a three-tier security arrangement has been made at all the 13 counting centres and 11 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed here for the counting process. PTI

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