The 28 Koridang Assembly Constituency by-election recorded 82.21% turnout in Mokokchung amid tight security, with polling largely peaceful despite minor incidents.
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MOKOKCHUNG — Polling for the 28 Koridang (ST) Assembly Constituency by-election concluded peacefully on April 9, recording a voter turnout of 82.21% across 30 polling stations.
Officials who toured the constituency reported no incidents of tension or disturbance at any polling booth. Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer Ajit Kumar Verma, along with Senior Superintendent of Police Vesupra Kezo, confirmed the smooth conduct of the election.
Minor technical glitches involving Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were reported at Chungtia and Yimyu polling stations, briefly disrupting the process. Polling resumed after the faulty machines were replaced. Officials also said that voting was delayed at three polling stations in Chungtia village.
Also read: Nagaland bypoll: Around 60 pc voter turnout recorded in Koridang Assembly seat till 1 pm
Verma and Kezo later briefed the media on the polling process and related developments.
Of the 30 polling stations, several recorded exceptionally high turnout, with some nearing full participation. These included Mangmetong II (99.08%), Mangmetong V (98.56%), Mangmetong IV (97.57%), Mangmetong III (97.93%), Mangmetong I (97.15%), Longkhum V (95.33%) and Satsu (95.05%), officials said.
In contrast, a few reported significantly lower participation, notably Alichen II (15.30%) and Alichen IV (22.93%).
In an election-related incident at Alichen, police detained eight women for carrying a large number of voter slips outside polling stations. They were held on suspicion of impersonation and violation of electoral rules. Four of them were apprehended in the presence of the deputy commissioner.
Security personnel also turned away several outsiders who arrived in around 20 vehicles, suspecting them to be proxy voters.
Responding to queries on relatively lower turnout in Alichen compared to the over-90% polling recorded in other areas, officials said that strict identity verification and enhanced security measures were enforced to ensure only genuine voters participated. They maintained that no legitimate voter was denied entry.
The deputy commissioner described the security deployment in Alichen as “rational and requirement-based,” based on inputs from sector magistrates and sector commanders.
SSP Kezo noted that the area has a history of election-related violence, necessitating heightened security.
On pre-poll violence in Mangmetong, where 12 vehicles and houses belonging to supporters of Independent candidate Imchatoba Imchen were damaged, Kezo said that four individuals have been identified. He added that all others named in the FIR, including village council members, would be summoned for questioning.
In connection with the Longkhum violence that claimed one life, two more suspects were arrested on Thursday, taking the total number of arrests to 18. Of these, 16 were arrested on April 6. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the SDPO, Mokokchung, has been constituted to probe the case.
The officials expressed gratitude to election personnel, security forces, civil society organisations and village councils for ensuring a peaceful and fair by-election.
The total electorate in the constituency stands at 22,266, including 11,013 women voters. Candidates in the fray are Daochier I Imchen (BJP), T Chalukumba Ao (Congress), I Abenjang (NPP), Imtiwapang (Independent), Toshikaba (Independent) and Imchatoba Imchen (Independent).
