BALLOT MACHINE DAMAGED IN KUBZA PS; DC & ARO RECOMMENDS RE-POLL
By-election to Nagaland’s lone Lok Sabha seat passed off peacefully on Monday with no major untoward incident being reported, except for a stray incident of violence in Mokokchung district.
Briefing media persons here at the Commissioner’s office conference hall in the evening, Commissioner Nagaland and Returning Officer, M. Patton said the polling ended by and large peacefully and the overall polling percentage was projected to be around 75%.
Patton further added that the exact figure of the percentage will be updated by Monday midnight or by Tuesday. He said that the overall voter turnout was higher, which was above the state average this time.
Meanwhile, Patton said that the CEO had received few complaints and counter-complaints from political parties demanding re-poll in some polling stations.
Patton informed the media that around 1:30 p.m., a group of 70-80 people forcefully entered 13-Kubza polling station under 26 Aonglenden constituency in Mokokchung district and damaged ballot unit (BU) and controlling unit (CU) of the electronic voting machine. However, the voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) was reported to be intact, he added.
Patton said seven persons were arrested by police in this connection.
He said that all necessary precautionary measures were taken and the situation was brought under control. In this regard, Patton informed that the Mokokchung deputy commissioner (DC) and assistant returning officer (ARO) have recommended re-poll at Kubza polling station.
Informing that a complaint was also received against a vernacular newspaper for allegedly publishing an article without the approval of Media Certification & Monitoring Committee (MCMC), Patton said the matter has been forwarded to Dimapur police commissioner.
He said BJP too lodged a complaint against NPF Mokokchung unit for allegedly publishing the article that sought votes on religious lines, adding the matter has been forwarded to SP Mokokchung with a copy marked to Dimapur police commissioner.
NPF had also lodged a complaint against NDPP and Meluri Council for allegedly obstructing its supporters to exercise their franchise in 10 polling stations. He said necessary instruction was directed to Phek DC and ARO in this regard.
Meanwhile, BJP has demanded re-poll in six polling stations under 20 Meluri Assembly constituency, alleging that NDPP supporters were not allowed to cast their vote.
Similarly, NPF has demanded re-poll in 38-polling station in Lerie colony of Kohima, alleging that its supporters were barred from exercising their franchise even after they produced relevant documents approved by Election Commission of India (ECI).
Patton said the matter was forwarded to Kohima DC and ARO. The commissioner assured that all the complaints would be carefully scrutinised on Tuesday, before forwarding them to ECI through CEO.
He said re-poll, if any, will be held on May 30.
On Ladigarh polling station issue, Patton said ECI had allowed setting up of a polling booth at the makeshift police station adjacent to the polling station where polling was held. He said a team of Assam police reached the area around 9 a.m., but returned without obstructing the polling process.
To queries on proxy voting, he said he had not received any complaint in this regard till late in the evening.
Altogether, 11, 97, 436 electors– 607589 male and 589847 female—were to exercise their franchise in 2196 polling stations across the state.
Scrutiny of records and polling parties will be held at the respecting election district headquarters at 11 am on Tuesday.