GUWAHATI: Nagaland’s “historic” urban local body (ULB) elections were held on Wednesday. According to officials, no incidents of violence were reported from anywhere.
The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation boycotted the polls as the Centre failed to fulfil its demand of “frontier Nagaland territory”. The ENPO, which is the apex tribal organisation of eastern Nagaland covering six “backward” districts, had earlier boycotted the Lok Sabha polls.
Their decision to not participate in the ULB elections affected 14 town councils.
The ULB polls were dubbed historic for two reasons. First, they were held after a gap of 20 years. Secondly, it is for the first time that the polls featured 33 per cent reservation for women. The votes, to be counted on June 29, will decide the fate of 523 candidates. There were over 2.23 lakh voters. All major political parties in the state such as Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party, BJP and Congress contested. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had on Tuesday appealed to people to exercise their franchise.