Kohima, April 10 : More than 82.21 per cent of the 22,390 eligible voters exercised their franchise in the by-election to the Koridang Assembly constituency in Nagalandâ??s Mokokchung district, officials said on Friday.

However, this turnout is lower than the 88.06 per cent of 21,740 voters recorded during the 2023 Assembly elections.

Nagaland Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Bhagyashree Banayat stated that polling for the by-election was conducted smoothly on Thursday, registering an overall voter turnout of 82.21 per cent across all 30 polling stations.

She said that following the completion of polling, the polled Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines were securely stored in designated strong rooms. The storage process was carried out in the presence of contesting candidates or their representatives, as well as Central Observers appointed by the Election Commission of India, and was fully videographed in accordance with the Commissionâ??s prescribed storage and security protocols.

Banayat added that a two-tier armed security system has been put in place for the strong rooms, including the deployment of at least one platoon of armed security personnel.

In addition, 24/7 CCTV surveillance has been ensured to maintain strict vigilance. Reserve EVMs and VVPATs have also been stored separately in reserve strong rooms, following the same security guidelines laid down by the Election Commission.

She further said that all contesting candidates have been formally informed to depute their representatives to observe the security arrangements of the strong rooms. Candidates and their representatives have also been permitted to remain outside the inner security perimeter to monitor the arrangements, while live CCTV footage of the strong rooms has been made available for their viewing.

The counting of votes is scheduled on May 4.

Meanwhile, the National Peopleâ??s Party (NPP), led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, has lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission, seeking a re-poll at the Alichen polling station. In a statement, the NPP alleged serious irregularities and deliberate suppression of voter turnout in the Alichen cluster of polling stations.

The party pointed to a sharp and highly unusual decline in voter turnout in Alichen, raising concerns over the integrity of the electoral process.

According to official data, only 1,323 votes were cast out of 3,310 registered voters in Alichen, resulting in a turnout of approximately 39.9 per cent. This indicates that nearly 60 per cent of voters were unable to exercise their franchise. In contrast, neighbouring polling areas recorded significantly higher participation, with turnout figures ranging from over 70 per cent to as high as 99 per cent, the party noted.

The by-election was necessitated by the demise of sitting MLA Imkong L. Imchen, who passed away on November 11, 2024, at a private hospital in Guwahati after a brief illness. He was 75.

A total of six candidates are contesting the by-election. The BJP, a constituent of the ruling Peopleâ??s Democratic Alliance (PDA), has fielded Daochier I. Imchen, son of the late legislator, as the consensus candidate of the alliance. Other key candidates include I. Abenjang of the National Peopleâ??s Party (NPP) and T. Chalukumba Ao of the Congress. Three Independent candidates -- Imchatoba Imchen, Imtiwapang Kichu, and Major Toshikaba (Retd) -- are also in the fray, making the contest more competitive.

/IANS