Shillong, Feb 27 (IANS): The voting for the Meghalaya Assembly elections began on Monday morning amid tight security measures, election officials said.

Men and women in large numbers queued up in front of polling stations before the voting for 59 of the 60 Assembly seats started at 7 a.m. The polling in 3,419 polling stations would continue till 4 p.m. without any break.

Meghalaya Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) F.R. Kharkongor said that a total of 369 candidates, including 36 women, are testing their electoral fortunes in the elections.

In the 2018 Assembly polls, 329 candidates, including 32 women, were in the fray.

The polling would not be held in Sohiong Assembly Constituency in East Khasi Hills district following the death of United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate H. Donkupar Roy Lyngdoh, who died on February 20 due to illness.

Around 21.75 lakh electorates, including 10.92 lakh women, are eligible to exercise their franchise in Monday's elections. Votes polled in Meghalaya would be counted on March 2 along with Nagaland and Tripura.