Held after 20 years, polling for Nagaland civic bodies ends

Kohima: The polling for 25 civic bodies in Nagaland, held after a gap of two decades on Wednesday, came to a close, officials said.

Voting began at 7.30 am with tight security arrangements in place and continued till 4 pm.

The urban local body polls were held for the first time with 33 per cent women reservation, officials at the Nagaland State Election Commission (SEC).

The final poll percentage is not immediately available, officials said.

Votes will be counted on June 29.

This was a historic election in the northeastern state as the polling to three municipalities and 22 town councils was conducted after a gap of 20 years. The last elections were held in 2004.

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 had held back the polls.

Over 2.23 lakh voters, including 1,13,521 women, were eligible to decide the electoral fate of 523 candidates from 11 political parties.

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 NPP.

Instead of EVMs, voting was conducted in 420 polling stations through ballot papers.

The Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation (ENPO) has decided that the six districts in the region would not participate in the elections.

ENPO, the apex body of seven Naga tribes living 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. As many as 59 nominations were accepted from the region but the tribal bodies allegedly compelled the candidates to withdraw their nominations.

The ENPO also refrained from participating in the April 19 Lok Sabha polls for the lone seat in the state.