Kohima: Nagaland reported an overall polling percentage of 88.1% during the by-election poll that was conducted in two Assembly seats on Tuesday, the office of the chief electoral officer (CEO) informed.
According to CEO Abhijit Sinha, as of 5 pm on Tuesday, 60 Pungro-Kiphire assembly constituency recorded 89.8% polling percentage and 14 Southern Angami recorded 70.4% polling percentage. However, a fresh poll to the polling station-11 at Singrep village under 60 Pungro-Kiphire assembly constituency is to be rescheduled.
In all polling stations, COVID-19 preventive measures such as mandatory thermal screening of voters, masks, hand sanitisers and gloves within the polling stations. However, social distancing protocols were not being followed in most of the polling stations in Nagaland.
Speaking with EastMojo, SDO(C) Jakhama and sector magistrate Tiayanger Jamir said that all arrangements were made to balance the conduct of a free and fair election while keeping in mind the rising cases of COVID-19 in the state.
“The concept of physical distance is a collective social responsibility, we had been emphasising this even before the poll started to the village councils, youth bodies, NGOs and even political parties that social distance has to be maintained. I feel some people are not aware and we cannot fully blame the people because the polling station itself is very small which [have] crowded the people outside,” he said.
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Sinha also informed that webcasting was conducted in all 22 polling stations under 14 Southern Angami-I constituency in Kohima district and in 24 polling stations under 60 Pungro-Kiphire constituency in Kiphire district. In the remaining polling stations in Kiphire, offline videography was conducted.
He also informed that five voters who are at high risk of COVID-19 were transported to the polling stations in Kohima to cast their votes following all necessary COVID-19 precautionary measures.
With regards to the seizures made so far, the CEO informed that a total of Rs 12.21 lakh have been seized by the flying squads, static surveillance teams and the excise department.
Also Read: Nagaland by-polls: Social distancing goes for a toss in most polling stations