37 per cent voter turnout recorded in Nagaland Assembly polls till 11am

Kohima, February 27

A largely peaceful voting in the assembly polls with a turnout of nearly 37 per cent was reported from Nagaland, which was earlier a hotbed for militants, till 11 am on Monday, an official said.

However, stone pelting and blank firing caused tension in the Bhandari assembly constituency in Wokha district. A tenuous ceasefire holds in the state for more than decade now as peace talks are continuing with NSCN(IM) and other groups and the central government.

Voting began at 7 am with over 13 lakh electors set to decide the electoral fate of 183 candidates.

“Polling percentage is 36.72 per cent till 11 am. Voting is peaceful as of now,” the Election Commission official said.

The nominees are contesting in 59 out of 60 assembly seats, as the Akuluto seat in Zunheboto district was won uncontested by BJP nominee and sitting MLA Kazheto Kinimi.

Polling will continue till 4 pm, while counting of votes will be on March 2.

The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the BJP are contesting the polls on a 40:20 seat-sharing basis. The Congress, which ruled the state till 2003 and does not have any member in the current House, has fielded 23 aspirants.

The NDPP-BJP combine is seeking a mandate for the second term, with Neiphiu Rio as the chief ministerial candidate of the alliance.

The NPF, which won 26 seats in the last assembly polls, has fielded candidates in 22 seats, but one of them withdrew, leaving 21 in the fray.

Nineteen nominees are contesting as Independents.

The electors include 6,47,523 male and 6,49,876 female voters, who are eligible to exercise their franchise in 2,291 polling stations. PTI