All set for counting of votes in one Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland

Kohima, Jun 3 (PTI) All preparations have been made in Nagaland for counting of votes in the lone Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday, Chief Electoral Officer Vyasan R said.

Counting of votes will begin at 8 am across 17 different centres across the state, he said.

"We are all set for counting of votes in the lone Lok Sabha seat, where elections were held in the first phase on April 19," Vyasan told PTI.

Three-tier security arrangements have been made at the counting centres, he said.

Although zero turnout was recorded at polling stations in six districts of eastern Nagaland, counting centres have been set up in those areas as well.

Three candidates -- Congress nominee and party's state president S Supongmeren Jamir, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party and consensus candidate of Peoples' Democratic Alliance government Chumben Murry and Independent aspirant Hayithung Tungoe Lotha -- contested the election to the lone seat in the lower house of Parliament.

A total 57.72 per cent of the 13.25 lakh voters in the state exercised their franchise in the first phase on April 19.

Polling was held amid a call given by the Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO) to abstain from voting in six districts of the region over its demand for a separate state.

People in the six districts, that have over four lakh votes spread over 738 polling stations, remained indoors on April 19 responding to the ENPO's call to boycott the polls to press for its statehood demand for 'Frontier Nagaland Territory'. PTI NBS NBS ACD