Kiphire registers highest voter’s turnout at 83%; voting lowest in Kohima & Peren districts
Morung Express News Dimapur | May 28 The bye-election to the lone Lok Sabha parliamentary seat in Nagaland saw a huge voter’s turnout with the state election office putting the figure at 70%. The polling percentage was 44% till 11am but increased later on the afternoon. The figure may change as the final reports from various districts pours in.
As per the latest CEO update, while the state as a whole registered voter’s turnout of 70%, Kiphire district registered highest voting at 83%. The percentages were lowest at Peren and Kohima district with both registering 60% voting.
As voting for the Lok Sabha bye-election in Nagaland is underway, there have been reports of untoward incidents at polling station in Kübza under 26 Aonglenden Constituency in Mokokchung district. Pictures of damage polling booth and video of skirmishes were also shared widely in the social media late in the afternoon.
Nagaland Chief Election Officer (CEO) Abhijit Sinha said that details report about the incidents is being awaited.
The Chief Minister also cast his vote at a polling booth at Touphema Basa village, around 25 km from the state capital, around 10 am while the leader of the opposition and former Chief Minister of Nagaland T R Zeliang exercised his franchise in Peren.
The bye-election to Lok Sabha seat is a straight fight between the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the opposition Naga People’s Front.
The ruling People’s Democratic Alliance has fielded Tokheho Yepthomi of NDPP while C. Apok Jamir is NPF’s candidate.
Altogether, 11, 97, 436 electors comprising 6, 07, 589 male and 5, 89, 847 female are exercising their franchise in 2196 polling stations across the state.
253 polling stations would have all women polling teams while two polling booths in Wokha district would be manned by only differently-abled polling personnel. Around 500 polling stations either have live web screening or off-line videography.
The bye-election was necessitated after Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who is also the NDPP leader, resigned as a Lok Sabha member in February, to contest in election to the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
