Imphal, Mar 10 (IANS): As counting of votes for Manipur's Assembly polls in underway, the state's ruling BJP is leading on nine seats, while the Congress is ahead in four and Janata Dal (United) in three, according to election officials.

According to the Election Commission's initial trends, the Republican Party of India (Athawale), Naga People's Front, National People's Party, Kuki People's Alliance and independent candidates were leading one seat each.

Counting is ongoing in 41 counting halls across 16 districts in the state amid tight security measures, as well as Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) against Covid-19, officials said.

The state's Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Agrawal said there a three-tier security has been put in place in and around the counting centres and adjoining areas.

According to the election officials, around 89.3 per cent of the 20,48,169-strong electorate cast their votes in the two-phase election to the 60-member Manipur Assembly on February 28 and March 5.

This year's voting percentage is higher than the 2017 and 2012 Assembly elections, when 86.4 per cent and 79.5 per cent electorate had exercised their franchise respectively.

In all, 265 candidates including 17 female candidates of different political parties including the BJP, Congress, NPP, NPF and Janata Dal (United) contested the elections.

The results would clear the electoral fate of Chief Minister and BJP candidate N.Biren Singh, his cabinet colleague Thongam Biswajit Singh, former Chief Minister and Congress candidate Okram Ibobi Singh, NPP candidate and Deputy Chief Minister Yumnam Joykumar Singh, senior BJP leader Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, Congress' Ratankumar Singh, Lokeshwar Singh, Saratchandra Singh, sitting party MLA Akoijam Mirabai Devi.