Elections for Nagaland announced, voting on Feb 27 & counting of votes on March 3

January 18, 2018 227 Views No Comment

As reported in The Naga Republic on January 11 that the 2018 Assembly Elections in Nagaland will be held as scheduled, the Election Commission of India on Thursday (January 18) officially announced dates for the upcoming elections to be held on February 18 for Left Front-ruled Tripura and on February 27 for Meghalaya and Nagaland. Counting of votes in all the three States is on March 3. The model code of conduct has come into effect from today in Nagaland, Meghalaya and Tripura ahead of the assembly elections in these three states, Chief Election Commissioner AK Joti told reporters in New Delhi today. The limit of election expenditure in the three states shall be Rs. 20 lakh per candidate, Mr Joti said.

All the three states have 60 seats each in their assembly. The Congress is in power in Meghalaya, the Left Front is running Tripura and the Naga People’s Front in alliance with the BJP is in charge in Nagaland. BJP leaders have been visiting the north-east in recent times to firm up election plans. The Congress is also looking to strengthen its presence in the region, which the BJP has been taking inch by inch with the victories in Assam and Manipur.

Campaigning in Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland is expected to heat up, now that the assembly election dates have been announced. In December, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Meghalaya and Mizoram in what was seen as the launch of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s campaign for assembly elections in the north-east this year. BJP president Amit Shah also went to the north-east last week to prepare the party for the fight ahead.

Electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter-verifiable paper trail (VVPAT) will be used in the assembly elections in Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland, the Chief Election Commissioner informed. He said election officials have made good efforts to assure basic facilities and arrangements for people with special needs to help them vote. Voter assistance desk will be set up at every polling station, Mr Joti said.

In Nagaland’s 60-member assembly, the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland is in power led by the Naga People’s Front and supported by the BJP. The BJP is trying to make inroads into the state with Congress losing ground as the main opposition party. Internal troubles in the Naga People’s Front might end up helping the BJP though. Former Nagaland Chief Minister and Lok Sabha parliamentarian Neiphiu Rio has formed a new political party, breaking ties with the NPF.

With inputs from agencies

Also read official Press Note from Election Commission of India