Agartala, April 26 (IANS): Around 17 per cent of voters cast their votes till 9 a.m. in Tripura East Lok Sabha constituency, where polling is underway amid tight security cover, officials said.

Election officials said that with the deployment of Central and state forces, including Tripura State Rifles (TSR), heavy security arrangements have been made in the Tripura East Lok Sabha seat to foil any incidents of violence.

The officials said that around 14 lakh electorate, including 6.94 lakh female voters, are eligible to cast their votes in 1,664 polling stations in different districts of the state to decide the fate of nine candidates in the politically crucial parliamentary seat.

Returning Officer Saju Vaheed A. said that over 16,000 Reang tribal voters, who were recently rehabilitated in different districts of Tripura after being displaced from neighbouring Mizoram following ethnic troubles there, would also cast their votes in the Lok Sabha seat.

Of the 1,664 polling stations, 61 are model polling stations with all basic facilities for the voters. Besides this, 67 are all women-managed polling stations and 30 are manned by physically challenged polling officials.

Though there are nine candidates in the fray, the main contest is expected between BJP candidate Kriti Devi Debbarman, elder sister of Tipra Motha Party chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma and CPI(M')s Rajendra Reang, a former MLA.

Reang is the nominee of the opposition INDIA bloc, comprising the Congress, Left and other parties.

Over 10,000 polling personnel are conducting the voting in the tribal reserved Parliamentary constituency.

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