Agartala, Apr 19 (IANS): Polling for the Tripura West Lok Sabha seat and the Ramnagar assembly segment, where by-polls are being held, started on Friday morning under strict security arrangements.

Election officials said that 14.63 lakh voters, including 7.34 lakh women electorate, would decide the fate of nine candidates in the politically important parliamentary seat.

The main contest is expected between former Tripura Chief Minister and BJP candidate Biplab Kumar Deb, and state Congress president Asish Kumar Saha, of the INDIA bloc.

The voting also started simultaneously for the by-election to the Ramnagar Assembly seat, which fell vacant after the demise of sitting BJP MLA Surajit Datta on December 28 last year.

Two candidates, one each of the BJP and the CPI-M, are trying their electoral fortunes in the Ramnagar Assembly by-poll.

Over 20,000 polling personnel would conduct the voting in 1,682 polling stations in the Tripura West Parliamentary constituency.

Voting would continue till 5 p.m. without any interruption.