LS polls: Why Nagaland districts recorded zero per cent voter turnout?

 The election was held for the lone seat in Nagaland on Friday

 A polling applies indelible ink on the finger of a voter at a polling station in Chedema village, in the northeastern Indian state of Nagaland on Friday | AP

Agencies, April 19, 2024: Six districts of Nagaland reported zero per cent voter turnout following the election boycott called by the Eastern Nagaland People's Front (ENPO) over separate territory demand. 

The elections took place for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland on Friday.

According to the Additional Chief Electoral Officer of Nagaland Awa Loring, poll officials were stationed in 738 polling stations in the six districts. 

A show-cause notice was issued by the state’s Chief Election Officer, Vayasan R., to ENPO for disrupting the electoral process and denounced its attempt to exert undue influence

Since 2010, ENPO has demanded a separate statehood-Frontier Nagaland. The six districts comprise Mon, Tuensang, Longleng, Kiphire, Shamatore and Noklak. 

A “public emergency” was declared by ENPO on the first phase of the poll day. According to sources, the situation in the state remained peaceful. There is no movement of any person or vehicle except that of the district administration and other emergency services.

These districts are occupied by seven Naga tribes Chang, Konyak, Sangtam, Phom, Yimkhiung, Khiamniungan and Tikhir. Their demand for separate statehood is also supported by a section of the Sumi tribe belonging to the region.

The ENPO on March 5 had announced an "indefinite total shutdown all over Eastern Nagaland jurisdiction with effect from 6 pm on April 18 (Thursday)".

Of the 13.25 voters in Nagaland, the six districts in Eastern Nagaland have 4,00,632 voters.

Nagaland CEO Vayasan R said under sub-section (1) of Section 171C of the Indian Penal Code, "Whoever voluntarily interferes or attempts to interfere with the free exercise of any electoral right commits the offence of undue influence at an election."