Kohima: Clear weather encouraged enthusiastic voters in Nagaland’s lone Lok Sabha constituency on Wednesday, with more than 60 percent of the ballots cast till 2 p.m., an official said.
An Election Commission official said there was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the northeastern state, bordering Myanmar.
“There are some reports of electronic voting machines malfunctioning. However, engineers immediately either set right or replaced the EVMs and voting is taking place as usual,” the official said.
“Clear weather helped voters come to the polling stations early. New and women voters were more enthusiastic to cast their votes.”
Due to security reasons, polling will be held from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m, unlike the other northeastern states where votes can be cast between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Chief Minister and Naga People’s Front chief Neiphiu Rio is contesting the polls against Congress candidate K.V. Pusa. The NPF is part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
Rio is the second chief minister contesting the Lok Sabha polls after his Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi, who is the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate.
Among the three candidates testing their electoral fortunes, Akhei Achumi is contesting on the Socialist Party (India) ticket.
In all, 1,182,903 voters including 581,758 women are eligible to cast their ballots at 2,059 polling stations.
Thirty-three companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed to ensure peaceful polling.
Over 12,000 polling personnel are engaged in the balloting process. The poll panel has also appointed four central observers.