Stage is all set for by-election to the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland, where a total electorate of 11,97,436 would decide the fate of two candidates who are in the fray.
In comparison to Nagaland’s lone Lok Sabha seat, neighbouring states such as Arunachal Pradesh (electorate of 7,59,344), Manipur ( electorate of 19,15, 243) and Meghalaya (electorate of 18,30,104) have two MPs each.
The by-election was necessitated after the state chief minister, Neiphiu Rio, resigned as a Lok Sabha member in February. The tenure of the current 16th Lok Sabha will end in May 2019 and before which the next election will be held by May 2019 to constitute the next 17th Lok Sabha. The by-poll is a straight contest between ruling PDA candidate Tokheho Yepthomi and opposition NPF nominee C Apok Jamir. Apok was also Rajya Sabha MP (1998-2004). This by-election would be a test of strength between the candidates of the NPF and the ruling People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA). The counting of votes will take place on May 31. Besides Nagaland, by-polls would be held on May 28 in three other Lok Sabha constituencies – Kairana in Uttar Pradesh and Palghar and Bhandara-Gondiya in Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, polling personnel Sunday left for their respective polling stations. There are 1723 polling stations in rural areas and 473 in urban.
In Dimapur, around 4300 polling personnel including security, sector officers, micro observers and drivers comprising of 323 polling parties have been dispatched Sunday to man 323 polling stations under Dimapur district.
In Kohima, a total number of 1338 polling personnel have been dispatched to their assigned polling stations under Kohima district from DC’s office Kohima Sunday. There are a total number of 223 polling stations under Kohima district, where 200 male and 23 female polling parties have been dispatched.