Polling is underway for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections. In this phase, polling is taking place for six parliamentary constituencies – five in Assam and one in Tripura.

Five constituencies of Assam are Kaliabor, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Jorhat, and Tezpur. The lone constituency in Tripura where voting is taking place in this phase is Tripura (West).

Additional Chief Electoral Officer of Assam RC Jain said that 12 percent voting has been recorded during first two hours in the state. He also said that 28 EVMs have been replaced due to technical errors. Voting in a few booths have been delayed from 30 to 45 minutes due to malfunctions of EVMs. But voting resumes after the replacement of EVMs in those polling booths.

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.