Assembly election: Voters in Nagaland formed long queues outside polling stations.
Both BJP and Congress are trying hard to claim win in the two states. Following the formation of its governments in Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, the BJP is making a determined bid to expand its footprint in the Northeast. The Congress, which has given three chief ministers to Nagaland, is contesting only 18 seats, two less than the BJP.
Here are the live updates as polling begins in Meghalaya and Nagaland.
For the first time, 67 all-women polling stations and 61 model polling stations have been set up in Meghalaya.
About 106 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), along with the Meghalaya armed personnel and police, have been deployed across the state, especially in the troubled Garo Hills region.
State Director General of Police (DGP) SB Singh said 580 polling stations have been marked as "vulnerable" and strict security measures were in place across Meghalaya to ensure a free-and-fair election.
Due to some malfunctioning electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines, voting got delayed at some booths in Meghalaya.
"A handmade crude bomb was lobbed at the polling booth at around 5.45 am, in which one village council member, Yanlon, suffered minor injuries in the leg," Nagaland's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Abhijit Sinha said after a blast was reported about an hour before voting began. Polling is underway at the booth.
There were no other reports of violence from anywhere in the state till 10 am, Mr Sinha said.
There were no other reports of violence from anywhere in the state till 10 am, Mr Sinha said.
While Nagaland saw 17 per cent voter turnout, 16 per cent voters turned up in Meghalaya till 9 am.
"We expect that polling will finish smoothly & we will get absolute majority as per voice of the people. We hope peace will prevail in the state & we will move for Naga political solution," Nagaland CM TR Zeliang was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
One person was injured in a bomb blast in a polling station Mon District's Tizit in Nagaland, news agency ANI reported.
In Meghalaya, as many as 340 polling stations have been categorised as "critical" and 580 as "vulnerable". In all, 106 companies of central armed police forces have been deployed to ensure peaceful polls, IANS reported
Meghalaya Voters In Numbers
- A total of 18,09,818 voters, including 9,13,702 women and 89,405 first-time voters, are eligible to exercise their franchise today, news agency IANS reported.
- Mawlai constituency in East Khasi Hills district has the highest voters at 42,670, and Dalu in West Garo Hills the lowest 18,640 voters.
- 361 candidates, including 31 women and many independents, are in fray in Meghalaya, according to IANS.
"Men and women in large numbers queued up in front of many polling stations well before polling opened at 7 am in the entire state. Polling ends at 4 p.m.," Chief Electoral Officer, Frederick Roy Kharkongor was quoted as saying by news agency IANS referring to Meghalaya. Balloting in 183 polling stations will be webcast, to be made available at the offices of Chief Electoral Officer or District Electoral Officer and the Election Commission of India, Mr Kharkongor said.
Electronic voting machines with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail machines are being used for voting in Nagaland, news agency PTI reported.
In Nagaland, a total of 11,76,432 voters, comprising of 5,97,281 men, 5,79,151 women and 5,884 service voters, are eligible to exercise their franchise during the day to decide the fate of 195 candidate, PTI reported.
Nagaland Chief Electoral Officer Abhijit Sinha said of the 2,156 polling stations in Nagaland, 1,100 have been declared critical, 530 vulnerable and 526 normal, news agency PTI reported.
Officials said many as 281 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), beside the state police force have been deployed throughout Nagaland to ensure peaceful polling.
Polling is underway at a polling station in Peren district's Jalukie, news agency ANI reported. Long queue of voters was seen outside the polling booth this morning.
Polling is underway at Shillong model polling station North, news agency ANI reported. Congress' Roshan Warjri is the sitting legislator from North Shillong.
With polling underway in Meghlaya and Nagaland, PM Narendra Modi tweeted this morning and asked the voters to come out in large numbers.
I urge the people of Meghalaya and Nagaland to vote in large numbers in the Assembly Elections taking place today.
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 27, 2018
Meghalaya has a history of fractured mandates and fragile coalition since attaining statehood in 1972. Only once a Non-Congress government has been able to complete a full term. Chief Minister Mukul Sangma became the third chief minister in the state to complete a full term.
Voting began in Meghalaya's Shillong after it was delayed due to issues with EVM.
Voting begins for 59 seats each in Meghalaya and Nagaland, news agency ANI reported. 
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