Assembly elections: 83.36% voter turnout in Nagaland, 74.32% in Meghalaya

The voting for Assembly seats in Nagaland and Meghalaya came to an end at 4 pm on Monday after it began at 7 am. Both Assemblies have a strength of 60 members each.

The voter turnout in Nagaland stood at 83.36% where 183 candidates are contesting the elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party is part of the ruling coalition with the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party.

Meanwhile, the voter turnout in Meghalaya was 74.32%. There are 396 candidates contesting the elections in the state. The incumbent National People’s Party had formed the government in 2018 in alliance with the BJP. However, the two parties are contesting the elections independently this time.

In both Nagaland and Meghalaya polling is being held for 59 out of the 60 seats. The Akuluto seat in the Zunheboto district of Nagaland was won uncontested by the BJP nominee and sitting MLA Kazheto Kinimi, reported East Mojo. Meanwhile, in Meghalaya elections for the Sohiong Assembly constituency were postponed after the death of the former state home minister and a candidate of the United Democratic Party, HDR Lyngdoh.

Bye elections

Bye-polls also took place for one Assembly constituency each in Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

Voting was held for the Erode East constituency in Tamil Nadu. The election was necessitated following the death of Congress MLA E Thirumahan Everaa on January 4. Polling at Erode East started at 7 am in all 238 polling stations and ended at 6 pm.

Bye election to the Lumla Assembly seat in Arunachal Pradesh is being held as the Assembly seat fell vacant after the death of BJP MLA Jambey Tashi in November.

In West Bengal, polling is being held at Sagardighi constituency in Murshidabad district due to the death of incumbent Trinamool Congress legislator Subrata Saha.

Voting was also held in the Ramgarh Assembly constituency of Jharkhand.