Decks are clear for the first phase of the Manipur Assembly elections which will be held on Saturday amidst tight security arrangements.
The polling will start at 7am on Saturday in the state where elections are be held in two phases.
The first phase will cover 38 constituencies for which 1,643 polling stations have been set up in areas spread over Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur and the hill districts of Churachandpur and Kangpokpi.
In all, 168 candidates will contest in the first phase.
The state has a 19,02,562-strong electorate comprising 9,28,573 male voters and 9,73,989 female voters. There are around 45,642 new voters.
In the run-up to the election for the 60-member House, all political parties in their campaigns mainly focused on the continuing economic blockade imposed by the United Naga Council and the state government's inability to break it.
The other important issues which hogged the attention of the political parties are alleged lack of development, massive corruption, misappropriation of funds and worsening law and order in the state.