Assembly elections 2023 | Meghalaya records 77.55% polling; it’s 84% in Nagaland 

Polling in the two northeastern States was peaceful, barring some stray incidents of violence

Meghalaya and Nagaland averaged more than 80% of polling in the Assembly elections held on Friday. 

Both States have a 60-member House. But voting was held in 59 constituencies each as a BJP candidate was declared winner unopposed in Nagaland while a candidate of the United Democratic Party died in Meghalaya. 

Meghalaya’s Chief Electoral Officer Frederick Roy Kharkongor said 77.55% of the State’s 21.61 lakh voters exercised their franchise according to reports available by 7.30 p.m. The final figure could be closer to the 2018 mark of 85.59% when reports from the remote centres come in. 

His Nagaland counterpart, V. Shashank Shekhar said 84.8% of the State’s 13.17 lakh electors had cast their votes. “We are still expecting the results from 171 polling stations where voting continued beyond the closing time of 4 p.m.,” he said. 

The turnout in Nagaland was 83.85% in 2018. 

Polling in the two northeastern States was peaceful, barring some stray incidents of violence. Three persons were injured in Akuk village under the Bhandari constituency in Wokha district when supporters of one candidate attacked those of another. 

There were reports of some extremists intimidating voters in favour of certain candidates in some districts.