New Delhi: The country’s general election, to elect 543 members to the 16th Lok Sabha, or the House of People in the bicameral parliament, kicks off today, with balloting starting from two states in the northeast — Assam and Tripura.
One constituency in Tripura (Tripura West) and five constituencies in Assam — Tezpur, Kaliabor, Jorhat, Dibarugarh and Lakhimpur — will go to polls today, marking the start of the nine-phase staggered elections to the Lok Sabha.

Vigilant: A security personal keeps vigil from of a strong room from where EVMs are being distributed, on the eve of the first phase of the elections in Lakhimpur district of Assam. Pic/EPA

The balloting for the remaining seats will be held April 12 (three in Assam and one in Tripura) and April 24 (six in Assam).
The Congress rules in Assam, while Tripura has the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)) led Left Front in power.
Police and paramilitary forces have stepped up security, more so because April 7 coincides with the Raising Day of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). Unlike in the past, neither factions of the ULFA, pro nor anti-talks, have issued diktats to the voters for boycott of the elections or made any statement against any party.