Chief Electoral Officer V Shashank Shekhar said over 83 per cent of the over 13 lakh voters in Nagaland voted on Monday, which was “largely peaceful”.
Polling was held at 2291 polling stations in 59 out of 60 constituencies. He said that in one seat – Akuluto in Zunheboto district, BJP candidate and sitting MLA Kazheto Kinimi won unopposed.
“The estimated voter turnout is 83.63 per cent. Barring some violence in three constituencies, polling was largely peaceful across the state.
He said this is 1.99 per cent less than the 2018 polling, in which 85.62 per cent polling was recorded.
He said that the final polling percentage would be known after receiving data from some stations, which has not been possible so far due to connectivity issues.
The CEO said Pughoboto seat recorded the highest voter turnout of 92.11 per cent, followed by Tseminyu at 91.88 per cent and Mon at 90.67 per cent.
When asked whether there will be re-polling, Shekhar said that there are complaints from various political parties and candidates, the final decision will be taken by the Election Commission. Election commission.
However, police said incidents of violence were reported from three districts during the day and three people were injured in firing by unidentified miscreants in a constituency in Wokha district.
IGP (Range) Nagaland, Limasunep Jamir said that there were violent incidents in Wokha, Mon and Zunheboto districts during the day, but the law and order situation in the state remained largely peaceful during the day and polling was conducted successfully.
He said that due to the timely intervention of the security personnel, no major incident could have happened.
Unidentified miscreants fired and injured three people in Akuk village of Bhandari assembly constituency of Wokha district. Jamir said the Madhya Pradesh State Armed Police personnel deployed at the polling station fired eight rounds in the air and brought the situation under control.
The injured civilians were taken to the hospital, where their condition is said to be out of danger.
The IGP said that earlier in the day, about half an hour before polling began at 7 am, political parties pelted stones at each other near two polling booths in the village.
Unidentified persons pelted stones at security personnel in Monyakshu constituency of Mon district and an ITBP jawan and a Nagaland police jawan sustained minor injuries, he said.
Three incidents of blank firing were reported from Avotsakili village in Atoiju constituency of Zunheboto district and were controlled by security personnel. Jamir said the involvement of Naga underground workers in the incident cannot be ruled out.
Minor clashes and heated exchanges between supporters of rival political parties were reported from Mokokchung, Wokha, Mon, Zunheboto and Tseminyu districts.
Jamir said a constable of the Madhya Pradesh Police, on election duty, died in Wokha when a vehicle carrying him along with others met with an accident near N Longchum. The police constable died on the spot and three others were injured.
The IGP said that the police seized around Rs two lakh in cash, taking the total seizure during the Model Code of Conduct. 35.79 crores.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, along with his wife and three daughters, exercised his franchise in his native village of Toufema in North Angami-II constituency. Rio, who is seeking to return to office for a fifth term, faces a challenge from Congress first-timer Seivili Sachu.
He appealed to the voters, especially those who have come of age this time, to participate in the “festival of democracy”.
“The people of Nagaland want a solution to the Naga issue, permanent peace and development,” he said.
The NDPP-BJP alliance is seeking a mandate for a second term, with Neiphiu Rio as the alliance’s chief ministerial candidate.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)