Over 80% turnout in Nagaland bypolls; polling peaceful

KOHIMA: Over 80 per cent voting was recorded in the bypolls to the two Assembly seats in Nagaland on Tuesday amid adequate security measures and strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols, said election officials.

Chief Electoral Officer AbhijitSinha said that the by-elections in Southern Angami-1 seat in Kohima district and PungroKiphire constituency in Kiphire district passed without any major incident.

"Over 70 per cent of the 13,641 voters cast their ballots in Southern Angami-1 while 89.80 per cent of the 43,242 voters exercised their franchise in PungroKiphire," Sinha told IANS over phone.

"Security forces were deployed and COVID-19 protocols were enforced for smooth conduct of the by-polls," Sinha told the media. The by-polls to Southern Angami-1 and PungroKiphire seats were necessitated following the deaths of the then Assembly Speaker Vikho-o Yhoshu and T. Torechu of the Naga People's Front, respectively. The CEO said that as per the Election Commission guidelines, webcasting and static video recordings was done in all the polling booths to ensure free and fair elections.

Various anti-COVID measures were done including thermal screening, wearing of face masks and hand gloves as well as sanitising of voters besides demarcation of polling areas to ensure social distancing, he added.

Ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) candidate MedoYhokha, Opposition Naga People's Front's KikoviKirha and Independent candidate Seyievilie Peter Zashumo were contesting in Southern Angami-1.

KhaseoAnar of the Congress, BJP's LirimongSangtam and Independent candidates — K Shellumthong, T. YangseoSangtam and KiusumewYimchunger — were in the fray in Pungro-Kiphire. (IANS)

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