THIMPHU: The Bhutan-India border will be sealed for 36 hours during the National Council polls in the Himalayan country slated for December 31.

Additional troops would be deployed along sensitive areas to check the movement of northeast rebels.

According to a statement issued by Bhutan's ministry of home and cultural affairs, the Indo-Bhutan border will be sealed from 6 pm on December 30 to 6 am on January 1.

"Travellers, voters, election officials and candidates, who are required to move through India, must reach their destination in Bhutan before 6 pm on December 30," said a spokesman for the ministry's law and order division.

The border sealing will ensure a favourable voter turnout, the spokesman said, adding all subsidiary routes connecting Phuentsholing to Samtse, Lhamoizingkha, Gelephu, Panbang, Nganglam, Daifam, Bangtar and Samdrup Jongkhar through West Bengal and Assam, will be closed.

"There'll be no security escort for Bhutanese convoys travelling through Assam," the official said.

Sources said India has deployed additional police forces along border areas, identified by both the governments, to check infiltration of rebel groups and anti-social elements into Bhutan.

Meanwhile, the polling day has been declared a public holiday. Polling will begin at 8 am and close at 4 pm.

Bhutan's tryst with democracy began this year when two rounds of mock elections were held in April and May. The polls on December 31 will elect members to the National Council -- the upper house. The elections to the lower house, National Assembly, will be held next year.