Imphal, May 05: An estimated 70 to 75 per cent of voters turned out today to exercise their franchise in the election to the lone parliamentary seat in Nagaland which passed off by and large peacefully barring stray incidents of scuffles among supporters of political parties and large-scale proxy voting by young voters.

Reports from various districts said that in some rural Assembly segments over 90 per cent voter turn-out was recorded at the end of the day while Kohima district registered the lowest turn out between 60 and 65 per cent.

Although no major untoward incident was reported, Electronic Voting Machines were damaged in the Tuyi Assembly segment in Wokha district and Chozuba in Phek district, the officials said adding that the machines were immediately replaced and voting took place smoothly.

Phek administration issued an arrest warrant against a school teacher who allegedly damaged an EVM at Chozuba during the morning hours, officials said.

Another EVM at Mongsenyimti at Mokokchung village had to be replaced after supporters of rival political parties found fault with it.

Large-scale proxy voting and intimidation of voters, which have been a hallmark of elections in Nagaland, have been reported from different parts of the State with urban polling stations registering most such cases.

Although there are five candidates in the fray, the electoral battle was mainly confined between the ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland consensus candidate, Wangyuh Konyak, and Congress' K Asungba Sangtam.

A large number of school children were seen in lines outside polling stations, particularly at Kohima and Dimapur.

The opposition Congress alleged that supporters of the ruling alliance in connivance with polling personnel and underground activists indulged in malpractices in many places by scaring away the party's polling agents and intimidating voters.

The Congress also alleged that senior leaders of the DAN were campaigning along with NSCN(I-M) leaders in the run up to the poll.

This was stoutly denied by the ruling alliance and the underground outfit.

The Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio, former chief minister, SC Jamir, Assembly Speaker, Kiyanilie Peseyie, and State Governor, Shyamal Datta, were among the early voters.

Comment