The recent Koridang by-election may not have been Nagaland’s first, but it quickly became one of its most closely watched. With as many as six candidates contesting despite less than two years remaining in the current Assembly’s tenure, the unusually high number of contenders came as a surprise. What has drawn greater attention, however, is not just the outcome but the voting pattern that emerged.
Across 30 polling stations, data suggests that all six candidates registered zero votes in at least one station. Even the winning candidate reportedly secured no votes in multiple polling stations. Such instances were observed in as many as 17 of the 30 polling stations. While isolated cases of candidates drawing zero votes are not unusual, the frequency and pattern in this case raise legitimate questions.
A striking feature is that many of these zero-vote instances occurred in villages associated with specific candidates. This points to a deeper issue in Nagaland’s electoral politics, where village identity appears to play a dominant role in shaping outcomes. Loyalty to one’s village or community often outweighs considerations of party ideology or leadership merit.
At the same time, the statistical improbability of such patterns warrants closer scrutiny. While conclusions should not be drawn without thorough verification, the situation warrants greater transparency and confidence in the electoral process. Ultimately, democracy is not only about outcomes but also about process.