Counting of votes for the 60-member Tripura Assembly would begin from 8 am on Friday amid tight security.

Chief Election Officer G S G Ayyanger told newsmen on Thursday that counting would be conducted at 19 centres in 17 subdivisions of four districts and is likely to be completed by 12 noon.

Postal ballots would be counted first and after that EVMs would be opened, Ayyanger said adding the result would be officially announced in the afternoon.

The Election Commission of India would make the gadget notification of the result on March 10 to end the process of polling in the state.

Polling in the state was held on February 23. Meanwhile, Tripura Director General of Police, K T D Singh said all police stations and border outposts along the 856-km Indo-Bangla border in the state were alerted ahead of

the counting.

The BSF was also alerted to check infiltration of any criminals or insurgents from across the border, he said adding the strength of police stations and outposts were increased.

Besides, temporary police pickets were set up in sensitive areas to avert violence and patrolling on foot in remote and insurgency-hit areas by paramilitary forces was intensified, the DGP said.

Several preventive arrests were made and regular checks are being conducted by police in hotels, rest houses and dharamshalas, while vehicles moving on high ways were being frisked, he added.