The counting of votes for the assembly election in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura began on Saturday amid tight security, officials said.

Counting began at 8 AM in all the three north eastern states, Election Commission sources said.

The BJP was leading in 32 seats with its ally IPFT ahead in 8 seats. The majority mark in the Assembly is 31.

BJP state president Biplab Kumar Deb was leading from Banamlipur seat.

The ruling CPI(M), which has been in power for the last 25 years, was ahead in 19 seats.

Chief Minister Manik Sarkar was leading over his nearest BJP rival Pratima Bhoumik by over 2,000 votes in Dhanpur constituency.

The Congress could not establish a lead in any of the constituencies.

The BJP strong showing came as a surprise for many as the party did not even have a councillor in Tripura. It had secured less than two per cent votes in the 2013 Assembly election in the state.

According to an EC source, the BJP contested in 51 seats in Tripura and secured over 42 per cent votes.

While a CPI(M) candidate died in Tripura, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate was killed in Meghalaya, and this resulted in countermanding of the polls in one seat in each of the two states.

In Nagaland, former chief minister Neiphiu Rio won from one seat unopposed.

Tripura went to the polls on February 18 and elections were held in Nagaland and Meghalaya on February 27.

The additional chief electoral officer of Tripura, Tapas Ray said counting is on in 59 counting halls for 59 constituencies in 20 sub-divisions of all eight districts.

A three-tier security arrangement has been made for all the counting centres, Ray said adding that it is expected that the results would be out by five hours.

In Nagaland, 349 tables in 17 centres across the state have been set up for the counting of votes, its Chief Electoral Officer Abhijit Sinha said.

Votes in Nagaland are being counted in the presence of the candidates and their agents under the supervision of the respective district returning officers and assistant returning officers, State Additional CEO N Moa Aier told PTI.

Meghalaya Chief Electoral Officer F R Kharkongor said a three-tier security arrangement has been made at all the 13 counting centres and 11 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed here for the counting process.

Here are th live updates:

12pm:  BJP is cruising towards a historic victory in Tripura. The party is leading in 40 seats, while the Left is leading in 19 seats

In  Meghalaya, the Congress is leading in 25 seats, the NPP is leading in 12 seats

In Nagaland, the NPF+ is ahead in 32 seats, while the NDPP+ is leading in 24 seats

BJP is all set for a historic win in #Tripura, I would like to congratulate PM Modi, Amit Shah ji and our party workers. Even our performance in #Nagaland and #Meghalaya is historic. Important day in Indian politics: UP CM Yogi Adityanath pic.twitter.com/ixEajcVZ61

— ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2018

10:50 am:  In Tripura, the BJP+ is leading in 32 seats, the Left is leading in 27 seats

In  Meghalaya, the Congress is leading in 22 seats, the NPP is leading in 15 seats

In Nagaland, the NPF+ is ahead in 31 seats, while the NDPP+ is leading in 25 seats

10:35am: Latest trends show the Left is leading in 30 seats, while the BJP is leading in 28 in Tripura. In Meghalaya, the Congress is ahead in 21 seats, while the NPP leads in 15 and the BJP in six. In Nagaland, the NPF+ is leading in 32 seats, while the NDPP-BJP alliance is ahead in 24 seats.

Trends are encouraging, I am hopeful and confident that BJP will form the Govt in Tripura: Himanta Biswa Sarma,BJP #TripuraElection2018 pic.twitter.com/NQFaGsNwZ2

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— ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2018

9:42am: In Tripura, Left is leading  31 seats, BJP+ is leading in 26 seats

In Meghalaya, Congress is leading in 18 seats, NPP is leading in 10 seats

In Nagaland, NPF is leading in 32 seats, NDPP+ is leading in 22 seats

Seeing the earlier trends:, I feel that in Tripura BJP is going to do very well In Nagaland too, our alliance is doing very well and Congress is trailing in Meghalaya. The three results of North East are going to be very good for BJP: Ram Madhav, BJP pic.twitter.com/66V7BPCXDn

— ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2018

#WATCH: Huge crowd at Shillong Polo ground where people can see counting trends through a projector #MeghalayaElection2018 pic.twitter.com/iBHVpy2pvl

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— ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2018

9:15 am: Left is leading in 25 seats in Tripura, BJP is leading in 24 seats

9:10 am: In Nagaland, NDPP+ is leading in 9 seats, NPF+ in 5 seats 

9:01 am: In Meghalaya: Congress is leading in 8 seats, NPP in 7 and BJP 3 seats.

#Tripura: Visuals from outside the counting centre in Agartala. pic.twitter.com/tbU1xPlJL8

— ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2018

8:55 am: It's Neck-And-Neck In Tripura, Left And BJP Are Leading In 19 Seats Each

8:40 am: Postal ballots are being counted first. Early trends in Tripura: CPI(M) leading in 14 seats, BJP alliance leading in 10.