Itanagar, Oct 22 - Counting of votes to pick a new 60-member legislature in Arunachal Pradesh began Thursday morning amid heavy security, officials said.

The exercise started at 8 a. m. in 57 of the 60 constituencies. Three candidates have been declared elected unopposed. Among them is Congress Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu.

Of the 750,000 voters, 72 percent voted Oct 13. A total of 154 candidates were in the fray. The Congress fielded contestants in all 60 seats.

Apart from the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) fielded 36 candidates and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 22. The surprise element was the Trinamool Congress, which put up 26 candidates. (IANS)