Aizawl, Nov 5 (PTI) Voting for the 12-member Sinlung Hills Council election in Mizoram is underway on Tuesday, amid tight security arrangements, an official said.

Polling began at 7 am in 38 booths.

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Of these polling stations, 16, close to the Assam and Manipur border, have been declared "critical", he said.

All entry points of the council area near the Assam and Manipur border have been sealed to avoid untoward incidents, the official said.

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Counting of votes will be held after 4 pm as soon as all ballot boxes reach constituency headquarters, he said.

Altogether 23,789 voters, including 11,914 women, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the polls.

Forty-nine candidates, including a woman, are in the fray.

The ruling Zoram People's Movement (ZPM)-Hmar People's Convention (HPC) combine and the Congress fielded 12 seats each.

The ZPM contested in 8 seats, while the HPC nominated four candidates.

The main opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) fielded 10 candidates and BJP one.

There are 14 independent candidates, including two Hmar People's Convention (Reformed) candidates backed by the MNF.

The SHC has 12 constituencies, comprising 31 villages in the Hmar-majority northeastern part of Mizoram, covering three assembly constituencies in Aizawl, Kolasib and Saitual districts.

In the last polls held in November 2019, the MNF-HPC combine bagged 10 seats, and the other two were won by independent candidates.

The SHC was established on July 9, 2018, as a result of the peace accord signed between the Mizoram government and the erstwhile underground outfit Hmar People's Convention (Democratic) or HPC(D) on April 2 that year.

The council has 12 elected members and two nominated seats.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)