Meghalaya And Nagaland Elections 2023: Assembly Bypolls In 4 States

5 early voters are rewarded in Meghalaya to encourage early voting. 369 candidates are fighting for 59 (out of 60) seats. 21.6 lakh voters will vote today.

The assembly elections in Nagaland and Meghalaya are taking place on Monday. Voters are casting their ballots while considering problems like corruption and calls for independent states. 

On Monday, voting will also take place in four assembly by-elections: one in Jharkhand, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.

On Sunday, there were also by-elections for the two Maharashtra assembly seats of Chinchwad and Kasba Peth.

2,291 polling places will be used for the 7 am to 4 pm voting, and 196 of those will be staffed by women and 10 by individuals with disabilities.

More than 2,160,000 persons in the northeast are eligible to vote. 3,419 voting places have been set up in all. 

The number of voting places classified as “vulnerable” has reached 640, while 323 are classified as “critical.” There are 60 assembly districts in Meghalaya; 36 are in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills regions and 24 are in the Garo Hills regions.

A poll official stated on Sunday that there have been extensive security preparations made for the by-election to the Ramgarh assembly constituency, where 18 candidates, including 14 Independents, are running. The voting will take place from 7am to 5pm.

Nagaland Assembly Elections 2023

More than 1,300,000 voters in Nagaland have the right to cast a ballot to determine the viability of 183 candidates for 59 of the 60 assembly seats. 

The Akuluto constituency in the Zunheboto district was won by incumbent MLA and Bharatiya Janata Party contender Kazheto Kinimi without any opposition.

In order to settle the “Naga political issue” in Nagaland, the NSCN(IM) and the Government signed a “Framework of Agreement” in 2015. 

The Naga National Political Parties and the government signed an “Agreed Position” in 2017, but the Centre had promised to sign a single peace agreement with all of the rebel groups. 

Amit Shah declared in March 2022 that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) would be repealed in a number of Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland districts.

Meghalaya Assembly Elections 2023

The polling will take place in 59 of the 60 assembly seats in Meghalaya as well. Due to the passing of one of the candidates, the election in the Sohiong seat has been postponed. 

The BJP and Trinamool Congress are attempting to overthrow the state’s current government, which is being fought for by the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).

The incumbent-hating NPP, which is currently in power in Meghalaya, may have to deal with it this time. 

One of the key polling concerns this time is the absence of infrastructure development in rural and hilly areas. 

The NPP government is also troubled by suspicions of corruption. Illegal coal mining in the Jaintia and Khasi Hills could also influence the results of this year’s elections.