LS poll 2014: High turn out recorded in phase 2

Itanagar/Shillong/Kohima/Imphal, April 9: The second phase of the Lok Sabha

2014 kicked off on Wednesday in

(2 seats),

(2 seats), Nagaland and

(one seat each). The election in the only seat in Mizoram has been postponed to April 11 as a result of a state-wide bandh called against exercise of franchise by Bru voters in Tripura camps through postal ballots [

].

The first phase saw seat seats in Assam and Tripura going to the polls on April 7 [Read details here]

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6.46 pm:

Eighty four per cent polling recorded in Nagaland while the number is 71% in Arunachal Pradesh.Sixty-six per cent polling recorded in Meghalaya. Seventy per cent polling in Manipur.

6:00 pm:

At least 82% of the 1,182,903 electorate had cast their votes in Nagaland, said an Election Commission official. No single untoward incident reported from anywhere in the northeastern state, which borders Myanmar.

4.23 pm:

Meghalaya recorded 53 percent polling till 3 pm, as voting took place at a brisk pace with people turning out in huge numbers to elect two Lok Sabha members from the state.

3 pm:

Over 50 percent voters had cast their ballot as of 2 pm in the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency, as polling was held for one of the two seats in the northeastern state, officials said.

Clear weather encouraged enthusiastic voters in Nagaland's lone Lok Sabha constituency on Wednesday, with more than 60 percent of the ballots cast till 2 p.m., an official said.

2.31 pm:

Meanwhile, reports suggest that Congress candidate for Konsa (W) legislative assembly in troubled Tirap district was today allegedly kidnapped by ultras while six EVMs were damaged in three districts during the polling to two Lok Sabha and 60 assembly seats in the state, official said.

Yumsum Matey representing Khonsa West was allegedly kidnapped in the morning by underground elements but later returned safely after intervention by the security forces, IGP (Law and order) Satyendra Garg said.

2.30 pm
Around 39% polling was recorded in Meghalaya till 1 pm. Reports came that wild elephants disrupted officials from visiting two polling booths in the state.

"Around 39 percent of the 15,67,241 electors voted till 1 pm in Shillong and Tura," State Chief Electoral Officer Prashant Naik said.

Meanwhile, suspected insurgents fired blanks near the Tolegre polling booth under Tura parliamentary constituency.

12.53 pm:

More than 35 percent votes had been cast till noon on Wednesday in the lone Lok Sabha constituency in Nagaland, an official said.

An Election Commission official said that little over 35 percent of the electorate had cast their votes till 12 p.m. No untoward incident was reported from the state, which borders Myanmar.

12.38 pm:

According to Election Commission officials 40 per cent voting has been registered in Manipur. 20 per cent cast their vote in the first three hours of the polls.

12.18 pm:

Election process halted for a short while as officials replace 16 EVMs that developed technical snag in Arunachal Pradesh.

12.02pm:

Moderate polling was recorded in Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal and Manipur in the first few hours of voting.

An estimated 20.9 percent of the electorate cast their votes in the first three hours of polling for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland.

Meanwhile in Meghalaya, 10 percent of the voters exercised their franchise till 9 am for the two Lok Sabha constituencies here.

11.21 am:

An estimated 11 per cent electorate cast their votes till 10 am for 2 LS seats & 49 out of 60 Assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh.

10.59 am

According to reports, security officials have blocked Election Commission staff in a village in Nagaland.PTI reports that polling is yet to begin today in a disputed area under Longleng district of Nagaland bordering Assam where security forces have prohibited entry of polling officials and setting up of a polling station.

9.03 am:

Sitting MP from Itanagar Takam Sanjay arrived at a polling booth in Itanagar. Speaking to Times Now, Sanjay said that he was optimistic and was sure that the Congress would win the elections. "From east to west, there is a good response for the Congress party," he said.

8.45 am:

Large number of women turn up to vote in Itanagar. Many youngsters and women are seen waiting for their turn outside polling booths.

8.31 am:

BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi urges people to vote today-

8.10 am:

Will the death of Nido Tania in New Delhi in February have an impact on voting in Arunachal Pradesh? A Delhi court on Monday extended the judicial custody of the four people allegedly involved in Tania killing case by 14 days [Read this IANS story].

8.05 am:

51 lakh voters to cast their ballots in 9,311 polling booths in four northeast India today.

7.26 am:

In Meghalaya, PA Sangma has won from Tura eight out of 10 times while the Congress has won the Shillong seven times between 1977 and 2009. Sangma takes on Congress's 27-year-old candidate Daryl Williams Ch Momin.

7.22 am:

Balloting begins in Meghalaya. Former Lok Sabha speaker Purno A Sangma is contesting from Tura constituency.

The two seats have 10 candidates in fray, including sitting Congress MP Vincent Pala, NPP chief P A Sangma, former student leader Paul Lyngdoh and church leader P B M Basaiawmoit.

The Shillong seat will see a contest among the ruling between the Congress, the United Democratic Party and an Independent candidate backed by two smaller regional parties.

Total number of voters is 15,53,028, out of which 13,512 are women.

6.56 am:

In Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat which is going to the polls today, 10 contestants are in the fray. The BJP, Congress, Trinamool Congress, NPF, NCP, JD(U) and Aam Admi Party have put up candidates from this seat. Three independents are also contestingf. Sitting Congress MP Thangso Baite, Gangmumei Kamei (BJP), C Doungel (NCP), Kim Gangte (Trinamool Congress), Soso Lorho (NPF), L Gangte (JD-U) and MK Zou (AAP) are the seven party candidates. Total number of voters is 9,11,699 out of which 4,63,068 are women. There are 511 polling booths for this constituency. Election in the other seat in Manipur will take place on April 17.

6.55 am:

In Nagaland, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio of the Nagaland People's Front (NPF), KV Pusa of the Congress and Akheu Achumi of the Socialist Party (India) are in the race. The number of electors in this state is 11,79,881.

6.53 am:

Besides the Lok Sabha polls, elections will also be held for 49 of the 60 Assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh.

In Arunachal Pradesh, Western and Eastern parliamentary constituencies will see contests between the Congress, BJP, NCP, PPA (People's Party of Arunachal) and Independents. The Western seat has eight candidates including Congress nominee and sitting MP Takam Sanjoy and former BJP MP Kiren Rijiju.

In the Eastern seat, Union minister of state for minority affairs Ninong Ering of the Congress is taking on BJP's Tapir Gao and PPA's Wangman Lowangcha.

2009 Results

In 2009, Arunachal Pradesh witnessed a turnout of 4,21,59,128. Out of the 42 seats, Congress bagged 33 seats, while TDP won 6 and TRS won 2 seats.

In 2009 8,22,629 people cast their votes in Meghalaya. Ouf of 2 Lok Sabha seats, Congress and NCP won one seat each.

Nagaland in 2009 saw 90 per cent voter turnout and the only Parliamentary constituency was bagged by NPF as 11,89, 670 cast their votes.

In Manipur, the two Lok Sabha seats were bagged by Congress as 13,36,711 people cast their votes.

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