Nagaland LS byelection: Repolling held at one booth

Repolling was held today in one of the election booths, where a mob had allegedly damaged the EVM machine on May 28 to "stop people from casting votes" for the lone Lok Sabha seat of the state, an Election Commission official said.

The election booth today registered 44.68% turnout, Returning Officer M Patton said.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) had declared the votes cast at Kubza polling station in Aonglenden Assembly segment of Mokokchung district as "void" after receiving reports of mob violence, Patton said.

"Around 70-80 people came to the polling station and forcefully smashed the ballot unit and control unit. However, the VVPAT was reportedly not harmed," he said, adding that seven people have been arrested so far in connection with the violence.

Nagaland witnessed a voter turnout of around 75% in the bypoll to the Lok Sabha seat on Monday.

The counting of votes will take place tomorrow in 13 centres across the state.

The by-election was necessitated in Nagaland after the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) leader Neiphiu Rio, now chief minister of Nagaland, resigned as a Lok Sabha member in February.