Aizawl (PTI): The polling for the 40-member Mizoram Assembly recorded 35 per cent turnout till noon on Tuesdayand no untoward incident was reported so far from anywhere in the State.

Voters, braving the winter chill, were seen in queues at the 1,026 polling booths in the state at least 30 minutes before the voting began at 7 am.

This is the fourth Assembly poll in the State since Mizoram attained Statehood in February 1987, a year after the Mizo Peace Accord was signed.

The three main contenders entering into the fray for the polls are the the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), the Congress and and the United Democratic Alliance. An electorate of 6,11,124 will decide the fate of 205 candidates, including nine women and 36 independents.

For the first time, the Mizoram People's Forum (MPF), social wing of the Presbyterian Church to reform politics and electioneering, erected pandals in each polling station where voters without voter identity cards were being helped to find their names in the voter lists.

Chief Minister Zoramthanga did not cast his vote at Chaltlang here as he was camping in Champhai from where he is contesting on two seats - Champhai North and Champhai South.

Lalhmingliana, the lone Rajya Sabha member from the state, was among the first ones to cast his vote at Ramthar Primary School here.

The State's borders with Manipur, Assam and Tripura, besides Bangladesh and Myanmar have been sealed for the elections.

While polling stations like Venghnuai Middle School within Aizawl South-II seat witnessed a turnout of 55 per cent till noon, the total poll percentage at 1 pm was estimated at around 40 per cent, state election officials said.

Due to communication problems especially from the remote areas, the detailed poll turnout could not be ascertained on time, the officials said.

"This is the first time polling officials have been instructed to give reports on poll turnout through SMS from their mobiles. Network problems prevailing in the North East region created hurdles in receiving detailed information," they said.

Security has been beefed up along the border areas, especially in adjoining Manipur where there is a massive police deployment to prevent Manipur-based insurgent groups from sneaking into the State through porous borders.