Lok Sabha Polls 2024: First phase of Voting in Northeastern states LIVE UPDATE
Poll Violence reported from Manipur during first phase of voting.
Lok Sabha Polls 2024: First phase of Voting in Northeastern States; Voting is underway for 15 Lok Sabha seats in Northeastern states in the first phase on April 19 (Friday).
In the first phase on Friday, elections will be held in five seats in Assam, all two in Arunachal Pradesh, in Manipur Inner (including partly in Outer Manipur), two seats in Meghalaya, one of the two seats in Tripura, and the sole seats in Nagaland, Mizoram, and Sikkim.
LIVE UPDATES
Assam-
- Voting is underway at Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Kaziranga, Sonitpur and Lakhimpur.
- A total electorate of 86,47,869, comprising 43,64,859 women who outnumber the 42,82,887 male voters, and 123 third genders, are eligible to exercise their franchise in 10,001 polling booths.
- Out of the 10,001 polling booths in the first phase, 92 are model polling stations, 11 are People with Disability (PwD)-managed ones and 752 are female-managed booths.
- The BJP is contesting in all the five seats, the Congress in four and supporting the Assam Jatiya Parishad contestant in one, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in two and the All India Trinamool Congress and CPI(M) in one seat each.
- Kaziranga has the highest number of 11 candidates in the fray.
- In Kaziranga, BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa is locked in a direct contest with former Congress MLA Roselina Tirkey, with both candidates belonging to the tea workers’ community.
ARUNACHAL PRADESH Simultaneous polls in two Lok Sabha seats — Arunachal West and Arunachal East Parliamentary constituencies — along with 50 Assembly seats would be held in the first phase on April 19.
Of the total of 60 Assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh, BJP candidates in 10 seats including Chief Minister Pema Khandu (Mukto seat) and Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein (Chowkham seat), have been elected unopposed.
MEGHALAYA-
- The turnout in the first four hours has been overwhelming. The contesting candidates from Shillong and Tura have cast their votes.
- In Shillong constituency it was 32.70, while in Tura it was 29.86 percent at 11 am.
- TMC candidate for Tura Zenith Sangma and INC candidate Saleng Sangma is likely to vote around 12 noon in their respective polling station. As per election officials, the voting has been peaceful across the State, with approximate turnout of 30 percent.
- Poll Violence reported from Manipur during first phase of voting.
- The Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) in Thonju Assembly Constituency at Khomnan Zone 4 in Imphal district of Manipur has been vandalised by miscreants.
- A group of miscreants fired several rounds near a polling station in Thamanpokpi in the Moirang Assembly segment in Manipur on Friday. However, no casualties were reported.
- The incident has caused significant disruption and concern in the electoral process.
Over 24,500 eligible voters, sheltered in relief camps due to the ethnic violence, would exercise their franchise at 94 special polling stations set up in the relief camps in 10 of the state’s 16 districts.
TRIPURA-of the state’s two Lok Sabha seats, election will be held in Tripura West constituency on April 19 and altogether nine candidates are trying their electoral fortunes.
The by-election to the Ramnagar Assembly seat will also be held on April 19. The seat fell vacant after the demise of sitting BJP MLA Surajit Datta on December 28 last year.
Two candidates, one each of the BJP and the CPI-M, are trying their electoral fortunes in the Ramnagar Assembly by-poll.
The NDPP, which is leading the opposition-less People’s Democratic Alliance government, nominated Chumben Murry while the Congress fielded S. Supongmeren Jamir. Independent candidate Hayithung Tungoe Lotha is also contesting in the seat.
MIZORAM- six candidates including a woman are contesting for the lone Parliamentary seat in the state.
The ruling Zoram People’s Movement, which is contesting the Lok Sabha election for the first time, has put up entrepreneur Richard Vanlalhmangaiha. The Opposition — Mizo National Front — fielded its sitting Rajya Sabha member K. Vanlalvena while the Congress nominated Lalbiakzama and the BJP put up its state President Vanlalhmuaka.
The lone female nominee Rita Malsawmi, a singer and lyricist, was fielded by the Mizoram People’s Conference while one Independent candidate is vying for the Mizoram Lok Sabha seat, reserved for the tribals.
Congress candidate Lalbiakzama (64) is a former police officer and Mizoram’s ex-Home Secretary.
On the advice of the Election Commission, the Ministry of Home Affairs has provided thousands of Central Armed Police Force personnel comprising Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, and other para-military forces to manage the law and order situation during the elections.
