The Election Commission has ordered for re-polling at 11 booths across eight constituencies of Nagaland Assembly elections. Voting was done on February 27 with a 79.14% turnout.
The Election Commission Secretary Arvind Anand signed a letter ordering the chief electoral officer of the state Abhijeet Sinha, to ensure re-polling between 7 am and 3 pm on March 2.
Among the constituencies going for re-polling is Peren, Kohima Town, Chizami, Phek, Meluri, Tizit, Longkhim Chare and Pungro Kiphire. Chief Minister TR Zeliang is the Naga People’s Front candidate in Peren.
Ground for conducting repoll
Although there is no clear mention of any specific reason, Anand’s letter said voting had been declared void. “On the basis of reports submitted and after taking all material circumstances into account” the decision to null the election was come upon.
Several reports of manhandling surfaced. The EVMs were destroyed in Meluri while a village council member was injured in a blast near a polling booth.
On February 27, a clash erupted between the supporters of the BJP and the NPF in Akuluto constituency. One person was reportedly killed and two more were wounded.
Re-polling has been ordered in Meghalaya too where Assembly elections were held on February 27. Despite it, a re-polling was conducted at Kyndong Tuber booth in Raliang constituency after the electronic voting machine malfunctioned.