Barring stray incidents of intimidation of voters, polling in Mizoram passed off peacefully on Thursday with an estimated 70 per cent voters exercising their franchise.

The complaints of intimidation were received from constituencies bordering Manipur, the state election department said.

Former chief minister and state Congress chief Lalthanwala and Governor A R Kohli were among the early ones to vote.

Long queues were seen in front of polling stations as voting began at 0700 IST. Electronic voting machines were used in the state for the first time.

Women formed majority of early morning voters, some of them had children tied to their backs.

Out of the 798 polling stations spread over eight districts, 57 were declared sensitive and additional armed forces were deployed at these places.

In seven out of 12 polling stations in Suangpuilawn constituency, where countermanding of polling was demanded by three candidates set free by their abductors this morning, no votes were cast till 1100 IST, Aizawl DSP L T Hrangchal said.
 
The remaining five polling stations saw only a few people turning up for voting. Only a single vote was cast at Phuaibuang polling booth.
 
Nearly 300 Bru voters, who came from refugee camps in neighbouring Tripura to exercise their franchise after the
Election Commission allowed them to get enlisted, cast votes in their respective constituencies.