Preparations have been completed for the counting of votes in Tripura on Thursday, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gitte Kirankumar Dinakarrao said.

Elections to the 60 assembly constituencies in the state were held on February 16, with around 89.98 per cent of voters exercising their franchise.

"The counting process will commence at 8 am amid tight security. There will be around five to eight rounds of counting. The trends are expected to be clear by noon," the election official told PTI on Wednesday.

"Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC have been clamped across the state from 6 pm on March 1 to 6 am on March 3 to prevent any untoward incident, but essential services and examinees have been kept out of its purview," he said.

Security personnel conducted flag marches in different areas of Agartala as a confidence-building measure. Around 25,000 security forces have been deployed in the state. As many as 259 candidates from different political parties are in the fray.

A triangular electoral battle between BJP-IPFT, and Left Front-Congress alliances, and regional party of Tipra Motha is being witnessed.

Chief Minister Manik Saha is contesting from Town Bardowali constituency, while Union minister Pratima Bhowmik is fighting from Dhanpur constituency in Sepahijala district. CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury is contesting from Sabroom seat.

For the first time, the Left Front is contesting assembly elections with its erstwhile arch rival Congress.

In the 2018 assembly elections, the BJP won 36 seats, while its ally IPFT bagged 18 constituencies. The CPI(M)-led Left Front emerged victorious in 16 seats, while the Congress drew a blank.

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