Counting of votes for the 57 assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh began on Sunday at 8 AM to decide the fates of 57 Congress, 38 BJP, 11 Arunachal Congress, 10 Nationalist Congress Party and 47 independent contestants.

Though EVMs were used in all the constituencies, counting may continue till Monday due to incessant rains, which have affected efforts to bring in the machines and polling personnel from far-flung areas in the state. Only two of the 37 helicopter sorties could be made.

State chief electoral officer Manoj Kumar Parida said counting of votes is on 43 of the 57 constituencies where polling was held. In two polling stations, counting could not begin on time as poll personnel were trapped by landslides. The result of 45 constituencies are expected to be out today.

Counting is on at 17 centres across the state, mostly in the district headquarters, election office sources said.

The election office in state capital Itanagar is linked with the counting centers by hotline, fax, STD and wireless telephones and returning officers have been authorised to declare the result if there is no discrepancy.

Since the constituencies do not have large electorates no trends will be given.

Congress has already bagged three seats - Dirang, Mukto, and Sagalee - in the 60-member house unopposed.

The election office failed to give the exact percentage of polling in all the 57 constituencies. It would be available only on receipt of detailed results from remote areas.

Elections in the state were held on October 7, 2004.

Arunachal Polls: Coverage