Nagaland CEO Vyasan R and others at the press conference in Kohima on April 19. (Morung Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | April 19
Nagaland completed the process to elect its sole representative to the 18th Lok Sabha with only a half of the state’s total registered electors voting. According to the state’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), the Nagaland Parliamentary seat polled an estimated 56 percent. The final percentage tally will be announced only on April 20 after scrutiny of form 17 (A).
The election process across the state has been very peaceful, the CEO said while addressing a press conference here at AWO Ki. He said that at the close of the poll i.e. 4 PM today, the rough number of polling percentage for the entire state stood at 56%.
He said that during the course of Model Code of Conduct from March 16, 2024, the combined effort of enforcement agencies have been able to seize lakhs worth of illegal cash/ liquor/drugs. He informed that in terms of vehicles requisitioning, no vehicles were requisitioned from outside the state unlike previous elections and all vehicles were requisitioned from within the state, consisting mostly of government vehicles.
Apart from security personnel, CEO informed that 14,400 polling parties were deployed across the state and about 8800 vehicles used for polls. He said that no official complaints about booth capturing were reported. The CEO said that some ‘complaints’ were received from the districts of Phek, Kohima and Mokokchung, for which, the same was forwarded to the respective Deputy Commissioners.
He said that the concerned officers acted quickly and the complaints were verified and “there was nothing found of.”
He also mentioned one unique feature of this election was that many of polling stations were managed by women and PwDs. He also mentioned about Kohima 10 Northern Angami 1 Assembly Constituency which has about 28 polling stations were all manned by women.
Limasunup Jamir, State Police Nodal Officer, Nagaland, also reiterated that the polling process throughout the state was peaceful and there were no reports of any major law and order situation or violence.
Jamir said that state had deployed 22,954 security personnel to various aspects of election security.
It included 48 companies of CAPF, 46 companies of IRB and NAP, 600 personnel of Home Guards, 5761 personnel of District Executive Force and the services of 9583 Village Guards also utilized.
He said in Wokha district, three criminal cases pertaining to impersonation have been taken into cognizance. Three persons were arrested in this connection, he stated.
Stating that the polling has been very peaceful, he said “we don’t anticipate any post- poll violence as of now.”
Sushil Kumar, Commissioner & Returning Officer, Nagaland said that scrutiny of Form 17-A will be taken up on April 20 at 11:00 AM. On being asked any likely re-polling, he said that scrutiny will be taken up tomorrow and it will go through all the relevant papers. “As of now we have not received anything which indicates re-poll,” he said.
