Kohima: Nagaland recorded around 80 per cent turnout in the civic polls held on Wednesday, after a gap of 20 years, amidst the boycott call in the state's eastern parts by the influential Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO).
As many as 523 candidates are in the fray in three municipal councils and 36 town councils in the northeastern state. Voting for 25 urban local bodies (ULBs) in 10 districts began at 7:30 am amid tight security and continued till 4 pm, an official said. The turnout figure is likely to increase as voters were still in queue at many polling stations, he said.
"Voting has been peaceful... A three-tier security arrangement was put in place in 214 polling stations across the 10 districts," a State Election Commission (SEC) official told reporters here. Instead of EVMs, voting took place through ballot papers in the 420 polling stations, he said.
This is a historic election for the northeastern state, as the polling to three municipalities and 36 town councils were conducted after a gap of 20 years. The urban local body polls were also held for the first time with 33 per cent women reservation, the official said. The votes will be counted on June 29. Over 2.23 lakh voters, including 1,13,521 women, will decide the electoral fate of 523 candidates from 11 political parties.
The government had announced elections to urban local bodies several times in the past, but objections from tribal bodies and civil society organisations against reservation for women, and tax on land and properties, created hurdles in conducting the polls.
Among the parties contesting the elections are the NDPP, BJP, Congress, Naga Peoples' Front (NPF), Rising Peoples' Party, RPI (Athawale), JD(U), LJP, NCP and the NPP. The Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation (ENPO), however, had declared that six districts in the region would not participate in the elections.
ENPO, the apex body of seven Naga tribes in the six eastern districts, has been demanding a 'Frontier Nagaland Territory', claiming that the region has been neglected for years. There are 14 town councils in the ENPO area. (With agency inputs)
