Polling in two parliamentary constituencies in India's northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh takes place today under the shadow of a boycott and general strike called by powerful All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) protesting the inclusion in the voters' list of 1497 people it alleges Chakma and Hajong tribals from Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts.

On a directive from the Indian Election Commission, only those descendants of Chamka and Hajong communities who were born in Arunachal Pradesh between 1964 and 1987 were included in the voters' list in May last year.

But this has been resented by the AAPSU which gave poll boycott call and announced a strike coinciding with the polling today.

Despite the insignificant numerical presence of Chakmas and Hajongs in the overall electoral

landscape of Arunachal Pradesh, which has just two parliamentary seats, the issue has dominated the politics in the sensitive state, which has border with China, Myanmar and Bangladesh.

The Chakma and Hajong refugees fled Chittagong Hill Tracts crossed into India way back in early sixties following alleged persecution on them there. There are now an estimated 30,000 Chakmas and Hajongs inArunachal Pradesh.

Arunachal Pradesh election office had at first rejected the inclusion of Chakmas and Hajongs in the voters' list after which the Committee for Citizenship Rights of the Chakmas of Arunachal Pradesh (CCRCAP) moved the Delhi High Court on their voting right.

"The granting of voting rights to Chakma and Hajong youths is a crucial step in our struggle for citizenship rights," said CCRCAP assistant general secretary Bimal Kanti Chakma.