Zero per cent voting in six Nagaland districts in Lok Sabha elections
Kohima: Six districts of eastern Nagaland wore a deserted look on Friday as people stayed indoors and boycotted the India’s Lok Sabha election to press for their demand for a separate state.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the situation was peaceful but there was no movement of any person or vehicles except that of the district administration and other emergency services.
Additional Chief Electoral Officer of Nagaland Awa Loring said election officials are stationed in the 738 polling stations in the six districts of the region.
Media reports said that there was no voter turnout till 11am. Polling comes to an end at 4pm.
These districts are occupied by seven Naga tribes – Chang, Konyak, Sangtam, Phom, Yimkhiung, Khiamniungan and Tikhir. Their demand for separate statehood is also supported by a section of the Sumi tribe belonging to the region.
The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), an apex body of the seven tribal organisations of the area, on March 5 had announced an “indefinite total shutdown all over Eastern Nagaland jurisdiction with effect from 6pm on April 18 (Thursday)”.
The organisation has been demanding a separate state since 2010, claiming that the six districts have been neglected for years.
Of the 13.25 voters in Nagaland, the six districts in Eastern Nagaland have 4,00,632 voters.
