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Northeast: Stage set for polling in 13 LS seats, 50 assembly seats in Arunachal

Apr 18, 2024 07:20 PM IST

Of the 13 LS seats, 5 are in Assam, 2 each in Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya and one each in Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura

Guwahati: Thirteen Lok Sabha seats in seven states of northeast, part of one Lok Sabha seat in strife-torn Manipur and 50 out of the 60 assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh will go to polls on Friday in the first phase of the general and assembly elections in the region.

A Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) trooper stands guard as people wait in queues to cast their votes outside a polling station during the third phase of general election in Khowai district in the northeastern state of Tripura, India, April 23, 2019. (Reuters/Jayanta Dey()
A Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) trooper stands guard as people wait in queues to cast their votes outside a polling station during the third phase of general election in Khowai district in the northeastern state of Tripura, India, April 23, 2019. (Reuters/Jayanta Dey()

Of the 13 LS seats, 5 are in Assam, 2 each in Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya and one each in Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. Voting for the Outer Manipur seat will be held in two phases on April 19 and April 26.

Voting will simultaneously take place in 50 assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday. Ten ruling BJP candidates including chief minister Pema Khandu and his deputy Chowna Mein have already won their seats unopposed.

In Assam, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Kaziranga, Sonitpur and Lakhimpur constituencies will go to polls in the first phase. The 35 candidates in these seats include union minister Sarbananda Sonowal (Dibrugarh) and Congress deputy leader in Lok Sabha, (Gaurav Gogoi Jorhat). In 2019, BJP had won four of these seats and Congress had bagged one.

Also Read: Northeastern View | In Manipur, what does violence hold out for voters?

Over 8.64 million voters (42.82 million male, 43.64 million female and 123 third gender) would cast their votes in 10001 polling stations of which 11 are managed by persons with disabilities and 752 by women officials. Just ober 40000 polling personnel will be on duty on Friday.

“We have made all preparations to ensure smooth and hassle-free voting. I urge all eligible voters to come out in large numbers and cast their votes,” said Assam chief electoral officer Anurag Goel.

In Arunachal Pradesh, 892,694 voters will decide the fates of 133 candidates contesting in the 50 assembly seats and 14 in the two Lok Sabha seats. Union minister Kiren Rijiju will be contesting against former Congress chief minister Nabam Tuki in Arunachal West Lok Sabha seat.

Also Read: How will the Northeast vote?

In The Arunachal East seat sitting BJP MP, Tapir Gao, is facing state Congress chief Bosiram Siram. In 2019, BJP had won both these seats.

11130 poll officials have been deployed in 2226 polling booths for smooth conduct of the polls. Security arrangements, especially in areas bordering Myanmar, have been strengthened to prevent any violence.

In strife-torn Manipur, polling will take place for Inner Manipur and a portion of Outer Manipur seats on Friday. A total 1544652 voters will decide the fates of 10 candidates for the two seats. Around 8000 polling personnel will be posted at 2107 polling stations, (509 sensitive). 162 companies of central armed police force have been deployed in the state to ensure peaceful polling.

“We’re expecting a good voter turnout on Friday,” said joint chief electoral officer N Ramananda while urging around 18,000 internally displaced persons, who are staying in relief camps following the ethnic violence, to vote.

In Mizoram, 856,364 voters will decide the fates of six candidates in the state’s lone Lok Sabha seat. The state has 1276 polling stations and 3553 state police personnel as well Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed for maintenance of law and order. The seat was won by Mizo National Front in 2019.

Also Read: For this northeastern state, it’s a battle of epic proportions

In Tripura, nine candidates are in fray for the West Tripura seat but the contest is primarily focused between BJP candidate and former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb and state Congress president Ashis Kumar Saha. 14,63,526 voters would vote in 1682 polling stations. Around 20,000 poll personnel and 84 companies of central forces would be on duty on Friday. In 2019, BJP had won the West Tripura seat.

In Nagaland, three candidates are in the fray for the lone Lok Sabha seat. Over 1.3 million voters will cast their votes in 2342 polling stations. Around 14,000 poll personnel and 20000 uniformed personnel (Nagaland police and CAPF) and 9000 village guards will be on duty. The state has 625 sensitive polling stations (458 critical and 167 vulnerable).

“Preparations for the general election 2024 are complete in Nagaland. Election campaigning in the state was peaceful and we expect peaceful conclusion of the process,” Nagaland DGP Rupin Sharma told HT.

Significantly, an influential organisation, the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) called a strike from Thursday and urged people in six eastern districts of the state not to participate in polling due to non-fulfillment of their demand seeking creation of a separate state.

Polling will take place in the two Lok Sabha seats of Meghalaya on Friday. Ten candidates are in the fray in the two seats, Shillong and Tura. In 2019, Congress had won Shillong while ruling National Peoples Party had bagged Tura. Over 2.2 million voters will exercise their franchise 3512 polling stations. Over 14000 poll personnel and 40 companies of central forces have been deployed in the state.

(With inputs from Imphal, Agartala, Kohima and Shillong)

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