Nagaland ready for elections on Monday; poll officials reach 1,217 stations

KOHIMA: Ahead of Monday's polling, Nagaland dispatched poll officials to 268 of the total polling stations, which accounts for 12 percent of the total.
Of these, Mon district on the border, has the highest number (91) of polling stations in far-flung locations. The state is known for its inaccessible terrain and conduct of polls in some of the remotest corners of the country atop hills and surrounded by lush forests.
On Sunday, another 1,997 polling teams were dispatched to as many polling stations and 1,217 reached their destinations by 3pm.
Elections to the 60-member Nagaland assembly will be held on Monday, while votes will be counted on March 2.
Senior officials in the election department said steps had also been taken to conduct polling in locations where 29 ‘shadow area polling stations’ have been earmarked. By using the wireless devices of security personnel, polling officials will coordinate with election authorities in these polling stations. Though sporadic clashes have taken place in Wokha and Mokokchung district, election officials said elaborate security arrangements have been made across 777 ‘critical’ and 720 ‘vulnerable’ polling stations to thwart such incidents.
“We have sent all over 11,000 polling officials to the respective polling stations. There has been a considerable rise in the number of polling stations to be managed by women polling officials. We are also going to set an example by bestowing responsibility on the differently-abled officials in some of the polling stations,” Nagaland deputy chief electoral officer Alila Chang told TOI.
In a state where women voters outnumber men, special emphasis has been laid on making the election process disciplined by giving women a bigger role. The state has 6.55 lakh female and 6.52 male voters registered to vote. There are no transgender voters in this election, officials said.
“The number of polling stations to be managed by women officials has almost doubled, from 178 in the 2018 election to 368 this time,” said Chang, on Saturday evening.
She informed that three polling stations, all in Kohima, will be manned solely by young employees who are below 30 years of age.
“A total of 7,982 service votes were registered to be cast by security personnel and the process has been completed by Saturday,” she said.
In order to curb proxy voting and use of money, “clean election resolutions” have been passed by numerous NGOs, village councils, youth organisations and churches.
Despite connectivity still being one of the biggest challenges in Nagaland, arrangements have been made for live webcasting of the election process from nearly 1,400 polling stations from across the state. The EC will monitor the proceedings live from these polling stations. At 250 other polling stations, where internet facility is not available, videography will be done on election day so that discrepancies, if any, can be detected later.
Altogether 183 candidates, including four women and 19 independents, are in the fray in this election. BJP nominee and sitting MLA Kazheto Kinimi won uncontested from Akuluto seat after the Congress candidate withdrew his nomination.
The ruling alliance of NDPP-BJP is contesting the polls together with chief minister Neiphiu Rio as the CM candidate again.