Image Source: PTI
Nagaland, April 19: The voting process for Nagaland's single Lok Sabha seat began on Friday morning, even as the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) chose to refrain from participating in the parliamentary elections.
Contesting for the Nagaland Parliamentary Lok Sabha Constituency are three candidates: Dr. Chumben Murry, the consensus candidate of the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA), Congress candidate S. Supongmeren Jamir, and Independent candidate Hayithung Tungoe.
While Nagaland counts a total of 13,25,383 electors, 4,00,632 voters reside in the six Eastern districts of Mon, Tuensang, Longleng, Kiphire, Noklak, and Shamator.
As of 11 a.m., the voter turnout was recorded at 13.51%, with no voting records in the ENPO areas.
On the eve of polling day, ENPO announced an indefinite shutdown across its jurisdiction to protest against the delay in implementing its demand for a Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT). The shutdown, authorised under the Eastern Nagaland Public Emergency, was effective from 6 p.m. on April 18.
Certain exemptions were granted for government servants on election duty with valid ID proof, District Administration personnel, Army, Paramilitary, and State Police forces, individuals with medical emergencies, Fire and Emergency Services personnel, Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) staff, and Postal Services employees.
ENPO officials, tribal bodies, Eastern Nagaland Women Organisation (ENWO), Eastern Nagaland Students’ Federation (ENSF), and Eastern Nagaland Public Emergency volunteers were exempted from the shutdown.
In response to the shutdown, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Nagaland issued a show-cause notice to the president of ENPO, expressing concerns over potential electoral interference. The notice was sent to the ENPO president, who oversees the Eastern Nagaland Public Emergency Control Room in Tuensang.
The CEO had instructed the president to respond promptly to the show-cause notice.
