KOHIMA, Apr 19 (NEPS): Amidst an indefinite total shutdown in eastern Nagaland areas, Nagaland went to the polls. The total shutdown was announced by the Eastern Nagaland Public Emergency Control Room on Thursday, with effect from 6 PM on April 18. The six districts of eastern Nagaland are Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamatore, and Tuensang.
Till the filing of the report, the people in eastern Nagaland areas have remained indoors, and district headquarters and towns in the areas present deserted looks.
It may be mentioned that the decision to abstain from the electoral process was taken through the Chenmoho Resolution adopted on February 23, 2024, to show resentment over the failure of the Central government to fulfil the assurance to create the Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT) before the Model Code of Conduct for the 18th Lok Sabha Election came into effect.
Meanwhile, on the eve of the polls, the Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union (ENLU) from the eastern region appealed to the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organization (ENPO) as well as the public of the eastern Nagaland to participate in the 18th Lok Sabha Election and fulfil their constitutional responsibilities of voting in the elections to create a conducive atmosphere for continuation of the negotiations of the FNT and to keep the talks alive with the Government of India.
The ENLU also warned that the legislators from eastern Nagaland would not be answerable and should not be blamed if the “talks fail or are affected adversely due to the non-participation in the election.”
Out of Nagaland’s total electors of 1325383, the Eastern-Nagaland area has 400632 electors.
Nagaland has a lone Lok Sabha seat, and three candidates—Dr. Chumben Murry (NDPP), S. Supongmeren Jamir (INC), and Hayingthung Tungoe Lotha (Ind)—are in the fray.