Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Nagaland goes to polls today; Voting begins at 7 am

Mokokchung, 18 April (MTNews): Nagaland will go to the polls for the General Election to the Lok Sabha 2024 on Friday. Voting will begin at 7 am and conclude at 4 pm. A total of 13,17,536 voters in Nagaland will decide the fate of the three candidates: Dr. Chumben Murry of NDPP, S Supongmeren Jamir of Congress, and Independent Candidate Hayithung Tungoe Lotha, who are vying for the state’s lone Lok Sabha seat.

There will be 2,342 polling stations spread across the 16 election districts. Among these, 513 will be managed by all-women polling officials, and 51 will serve as model polling stations across the districts. Additionally, four polling stations will be managed by Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)—one each in Kohima, Phek, Mokokchung, and Tuensang. Eighteen polling stations will be manned by youth.

Assured Minimum Facilities such as drinking water, electricity, resting places, signage, toilets, and ramps will be provided at the polling booths on the day of the election for the convenience of the voters.

Voter Information Slips not allowed as proof of identity
The Chief Electoral Officer Nagaland has informed that the Voter Information Slip will not be allowed as proof of identity of voters for casting of votes. All electors having Elector’s Photo Identity Card (EPIC) have to produce the EPIC for their identification at the polling station before casting their votes.

Those electors who are not able to produce the EPIC will have to produce alternate photo identity documents for establishing their identity, such as Aadhaar Card, MNREGA Job Card, passbooks with photograph issued by bank or post office, Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the schemes of Ministry of Labour.

Other documents which voters can produce for identification are Driving License, Pan Card, Smart card issued by RGI under NPR, Indian Passport, Pension document with photograph, Service Identity Cards with photograph issued to employees by Central, State government, PSUs or Public Limited Companies, Official Identity Cards issued to MPs, MLAs or MLCs and Unique Disability ID, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Triangular fight for lone Nagaland Lok Sabha seat
Nagaland will witness a triangular contest for the state’s lone Lok Sabha seat. The NDPP is fielding Dr. Chumben Murry, who is also the consensus candidate of the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA). Meanwhile, Congress is putting forward Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee President S Supongmeren Jamir, and Hayithung Tungoe Lotha is running as an independent candidate.

S Supongmeren Jamir, aged 61, began his political journey in 1982 when he joined the Congress party as an active member. He was elected to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly in 2003 from the 25th Mongoya Assembly Constituency but lost in 2008. Jamir also served as the personal secretary to the Chief Minister of Nagaland from 1996 to 2002 and was an Assistant Teacher at Government High School Buami in Mon district from 1981 to 1982.

Dr Chumben Murry, also 61, began his political career by contesting the 11th Nagaland Legislative Assembly in 2008 from the 38-Wokha Assembly Constituency on a Nationalist Congress Party ticket. He was elected and appointed as Cabinet Minister for Agriculture. Although he was unsuccessful in his bid for the 12th Nagaland Legislative Assembly in 2013 on an NPF ticket, Dr Murry was elected to the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on an NPF ticket in the election held on 27th February 2018. He served as an MLA until he joined the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party in 2022 and was appointed as Advisor to the Department of Law & Justice.

In the 2023 general elections, he chose not to contest, making way for another candidate. Following the 2023 elections, Dr Murry was appointed as the Advisor to the Chief Minister of Nagaland until he resigned from the post in March 2024.

Independent candidate Hayithung Tungoe Lotha, aged 43, contested the Lok Sabha election in 2019 on a National People’s Party ticket.

During the last Lok Sabha election in 2019 held in the state, the overall voter turnout was 83 percent.