Election for the 16th Lok Sabha has begun. Polling underway for the first phase in five constituencies of Assam and one in Tripura. Voting began at 7 AM and will continue till 5 PM.

In Assam, polling is taking place for five parliamentary constituencies which are Kaliabor, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Jorhat, and Tezpur. In Tripura, the lone constituency is Tripura (West).

Congress, BJP, Trinamool Congress, AIUDF, AGP, Aam Aadmi Party, SUCI, CPI(M), AIFB and Samajwadi Party have fielded their candidates for five seats in Assam. Prominent among them are union ministers Ranee Narah and Paban Singh Ghatowar, former union minister BK Handique, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi's son Gourav Gogoi and State BJP President Sorbananda Sonowal.

The Left Front ruled Tripura is likely to witness a multi-cornered contest between CPI-M, Congress, Trinamool Congress and the BJP.

Election Commission has made elaborate arrangemts to ensure free and fair polling. In Assam, armed security forces have been deployed at over 1,200 polling stations.

Two helicopters have also been pressed into service. The EC has deployed micro observers at 743 polling stations. Polling process will be webcast live from 200 polling booths and anyone can view it through the link- ceoassam.nic.in.

In Tripura, besides State Police, 35 companies of central para-military forces have been deployed to ensure peaceful polling. Indo-Bangladesh border has been sealed and section 144 has been invoked to check the entry of anti-social elements and militants from across the border.