February 27, 2018: Polling has begun for the Assembly elections in Meghalaya and Nagaland. It will continue till 4 in the evening except in some polling stations of the interior districts of Nagaland, where the process is scheduled to conclude at 3 pm. Elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure free and fair polls.
The two states have a 60-member House each, but voting is being held for 59 constituencies in both. In Meghalaya, the election has been countermanded in Williamnagar in the wake of the killing of NCP candidate Jonathone N Sangma in an IED blast, while in Nagaland, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party Chief Neiphiu Rio has been declared elected unopposed from the Northern Angami-II constituency.
In Meghalaya, a total of 361 candidates are in the fray. Over 18.4 lakh voters are expected to exercise their franchise. There are over 3 thousand polling booths. Webcasting is being done at 193 polling stations.
For the first time in the history of Nagaland State Assembly, five female is also contesting in the male-dominated State politics. Besides, two former Chief Ministers, Neiphiu Rio and K L Chishi and present Chief Minister, T R Zeliang, along with 53 sitting MLAs are in the fray.
Restrictions on the conduct of any exit poll and publication and dissemination of result of such exit poll is in place till 4:30 this evening.The results of the polls in the two states will be declared on Saturday along with Tripura.
Polling is already in process, people have begun forming queues since six in the morning, an hour prior to the time of voting which started at 7, elaborate security has been put in place for a fair and peaceful election. All Polling stations are under CCTV Surveillance and 432 Micro Observers are also being deployed. (AIR News)
