Second phase of Lok Sabha elections begins in the Northeast region

 

Security has been tightened in Khasi Jaintia Hills region following a 12-hr bandh called by banned HNLC since 5 am today.

 

Additional forces have been deployed and the BSF has closed the 443 km-long Indo-Bangla international border.

 

In Nagaland, the poll will decide the fate of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who is the candidate from his Naga Peoples Front party.

 

He is pitted against Congress' K V Pusa and Akheu Achumi of Socialist Party (India).

 

This will be the first time that Nagaland would webcast poll proceedings of 84 stations out of the total 2,059 stations to maintain transparency.

 

Those polling stations can be viewed live through the CEO Nagaland website.

 

An electorate of 11,82,948, including 5,82,458 women will cast their votes during the day.

 

A total 1,475 polling stations have been declared as normal, 407 as vulnerable and 177 as critical.

 

A total of 33 companies of central armed police force have been deployed for peaceful conduct of the elections.

 

They comprise seven companies of Mizoram Armed Police, 10 companies of Tripura State Rifles, eight companies of CRPF and eight companies of BSF.

 

Nagaland Armed Police, IR Battalion and around 2,200 village guards, besides five companies of central armed police force have also been deployed to ensure free and fair polls and maintain general law and order.

Polling began for the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat, one of the two parliamentary constituencies in the state.

A total 10 contestants from BJP, Congress, Trinamool Congress, Naga People's Front, NCP, JD(U) and Aam Admi Party, besides three independents are in the fray.

An electorate of 9,11,699, of whom 4,63,068 are women, will cast their votes in 511 polling booths.

 

Arunachal Pradesh begins simultaneous polls for two Lok Sabha and 49 of the 60 assembly seats. 

 

Congress, BJP, NCP, Peoples Party of Arunachal besides independents are in the fray in the Western and Eastern parliamentary constituencies, which are traditional Congress strongholds since 1975 except in 2004 polls when BJP made its dent for the first time.

 

In the assembly polls the main contest will be between Congress and BJP but new entrant Naga Peoples Front (NPF), along with PPA and NCP are expected to put up formidable fight in several seats.

 

Altogether 155 candidates including 5 women are in the fray for 49 of the 60 Assembly seats in the state.

 

An electorate of 7,53,170, including 3,77,272 women will cast their votes in 2,158 polling stations in the state.

 

An additional 20 companies of central paramilitary forces besides 24 existing companies have been deployed as well as 8000 policemen to maintain law and order during the polls.

 

All the inter-state check gates have been sealed till 5pm today.