DIMAPUR: The Nagaland state election commission (SEC), on Wednesday (June 12), issued a revised list of 30 election observers for various municipal and town council elections in Nagaland.

Among them, three new observers were appointed for municipal councils in Dimapur, Kohima and Mokokchung and 27 new observers for an equal number of town councils in Nagaland.

On April 29, the commission had notified the election programme for conduct of elections to three municipal councils and 36 town councils in Nagaland, scheduled for June 26.

It had appointed election observers along with their assigned municipalities on May 31.

It said nil nomination had been received in certain town councils in the districts of Mon, Longleng, Noklak, Tuensang and Kiphire during the period for filing nominations as specified in the election programme, rendering the subsequent election activities, including the conduct of polls, post the period of filing nominations infructuous in such municipalities.

The commission said in partial modification of its notification dated May 31 and consequent upon the municipalities having received nil nomination, the revised list of election observers deployed/redeployed to the civic bodies has been issued in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 31(1) and (3) of the Nagaland Municipal Act 2023.

The commission asked all the election observers concerned to take necessary action in this regard.

Meanwhile, 669 candidates filed nominations for elections to the urban local bodies till the last of filing of nomination papers which concluded on Tuesday (June 11).

Of the 669 candidates who filed nominations, 238 are women, according to an update from the Nagaland state election commission (SEC).

Nagaland has 418 municipal and town council wards, with 142 wards reserved for women.

Despite a directive from the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) for abstention from all state and central elections, including the civil polls, in eastern Nagaland, 61 candidates filed nominations in various councils across the region comprising the six districts of Mon, Tuensang, Longleng, Kiphire, Shamator and Noklak. 

Bhadra Gogoi is Northeast Now Correspondent in Nagaland. He can be reached at: bhadragogoi@yahoo.com