DIMAPUR/KOHIMA/MOKOKCHUNG — The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) won 153 out of the 248 seats in 25 urban local bodies (ULBs) that went to polls in Nagaland.
The party, which fielded a total of 178 candidates -- the highest among all political parties-- won all three municipal councils and 13 town councils across the state.
In the Dimapur and Kohima Municipal Councils, the party secured 13 wards each and 15 in the Mokokchung Town Council.
Celebrations echo in Kohima following ULB result declaration:
— Eastern Mirror (@Eastern_Mirror) June 29, 2024
Following the vote counting, Kohima resounded with celebrations as 14 candidates vying for different wards under the Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) in the Nagaland Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) elections were declared… pic.twitter.com/r1EOLkkEcp
According to the State Election Commissioner, a total of 1,84,126 electors, constituting 81.66 per cent, cast their votes to elect councillors in 214 wards across 24 municipalities that went to the poll on June 26.
Out of the 182 Independent candidates, 56 of them emerged victorious.
Also read: SEC reports successful ULB polls with minimal incidents
NDPP ally, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a total of 25 seats out of the 44 it contested.
The other political parties secured a combined total of 44 seats in the civic polls.
Notably, the Rising People’s Party and the Republican Party of India (Athawale) were unable to secure any seats.
Altogether, 523 candidates from 11 political parties were in the fray.
The counting of votes for the polls to 24 urban local bodies spanning 10 districts began at 8 am in 16 centres on Saturday.
Earlier, on the last day for withdrawal of candidature on June 18, a total of 64 candidates -- 45 of NDPP, seven of BJP, five of NCP, three of Congress, two each of NPF and independents -- were declared elected unopposed from different municipal and town councils.
With the election being held with 33 per cent women reservation for the first time in the state, a total of 198 women candidates contested. Out of these, 102 women candidates, including eight from unreserved wards, emerged victorious.
Although the state of Nagaland has 39 ULBs, polling was not conducted in the six eastern districts of Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator and Tuensangwhere the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation had called for total abstention from all state and central elections, including the civic polls, over issues pertaining to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ delay in the creation of a Frontier Nagaland Territory.
At least 59 nominations were accepted from the region but all the candidates withdrew their nominations.
Notably, the region also did not participate in the Lok Sabha polls held earlier in April.
MCC lifted
Meanwhile, state election commissioner, T John Longkumer, issued a notification on Saturday, informing that the election Model Code of Conduct (MCC) which came into operation from the date of notification of the election programme, ceases to be in force following the declaration of the election results and the completion of the entire election process.