Kohima, around 20 per cent of the 2.23 lakh voters exercised their right to vote on Wednesday in the first two hours of the civic body elections that were held for the first time in Nagaland in 20 years, an official said .
Voting began at 7:30 a.m. with strict security measures and will continue until 4:00 p.m.
This is a historic election in the northeastern state as, after a gap of 20 years, elections were held in three municipalities and 22 town councils. The last elections were held in 2004.
The urban local body elections were held for the first time with a reservation of 33 per cent women, the Nagaland State Election Commission official said.
The government had announced elections to urban local bodies several times in the past, but objections by tribal bodies and civil society organizations against reservations for women and taxes on land and property had delayed the elections.
"The elections have been peaceful so far with three-tier security measures in 214 wards in 10 districts of the state. More than 20 per cent voting was recorded in the first two hours," the SEC official said.
More than 2.23 lakh voters, including 1,13,521 women, are entitled to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 523 candidates from 11 political parties.
Parties participating in the elections include NDPP, BJP, Congress, Naga People's Front (NPF), Rising People's Party, RPI (Athawale), JD(U), LJP, the NCP and the NPP.
Instead of EVMs, voting was carried out at 420 polling stations through ballot papers, he said.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Nagaland People's Organization (ENPO) decided that the six districts of 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 Territory of Nagaland", alleging that the region has been neglected for years.
There are 14 municipalities in the ENPO area. As many as 59 nominations were accepted from the region, but the tribal bodies forced the candidates to withdraw their nominations.
The ENPO also abstained from contesting the April 19 Lok Sabha elections to win the state's lone seat.
Votes will be counted on June 29.
Voting began at 7:30 a.m. with strict security measures and will continue until 4:00 p.m.
This is a historic election in the northeastern state as, after a gap of 20 years, elections were held in three municipalities and 22 town councils. The last elections were held in 2004.
The urban local body elections were held for the first time with a reservation of 33 per cent women, the Nagaland State Election Commission official said.
The government had announced elections to urban local bodies several times in the past, but objections by tribal bodies and civil society organizations against reservations for women and taxes on land and property had delayed the elections.
"The elections have been peaceful so far with three-tier security measures in 214 wards in 10 districts of the state. More than 20 per cent voting was recorded in the first two hours," the SEC official said.
More than 2.23 lakh voters, including 1,13,521 women, are entitled to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 523 candidates from 11 political parties.
Parties participating in the elections include NDPP, BJP, Congress, Naga People's Front (NPF), Rising People's Party, RPI (Athawale), JD(U), LJP, the NCP and the NPP.
Instead of EVMs, voting was carried out at 420 polling stations through ballot papers, he said.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Nagaland People's Organization (ENPO) decided that the six districts of 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 Territory of Nagaland", alleging that the region has been neglected for years.
There are 14 municipalities in the ENPO area. As many as 59 nominations were accepted from the region, but the tribal bodies forced the candidates to withdraw their nominations.
The ENPO also abstained from contesting the April 19 Lok Sabha elections to win the state's lone seat.
Votes will be counted on June 29.
