By northeast standards, the first phase of elections went off without a hitch except for a gun battle beween security forces and militants in a polling booth in the Autonomous District constituency. An improvised explosive device explosion had also taken place and a powerful IED was recovered in KarbiAnglong district.
Around 62 percent polling was recorded in the three parliamentary seats of Silchar, Karimganj, and Autonomous District of Assam. A polling officer tried to commit suicide in the Howarhgat area under the Autonomous District constituency.
According to Himanta Narzary, state chief Electoral officer, miscreants tried to snatch voting machines in two polling booths in Karimganj. Technical snags in EVMs was reported from 14 polling stations in Karimganj, eight in Silchar and three in the Autonomous district. "In Katlichera area the EVM was destroyed and we have sought EC’s permission for repoll," Mr Nazary added. Assam and Nagaland does not have Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPICs).
For the two seats in Meghalaya, polling was about 60 percent, while Nagaland registered the highest turnout for its solitary seat at 85 percent. Till 3 pm, polling for the lone Mizoram seat was 48 percent, but it is expected to touch 50 percent by the end of the day. Polling in West Arunachal Pradesh was about 59 percent while in East Arunachal, there was a 63 percent turnout.
Jiban Singh, DIG of Assam police, told ET, "Militants exploded an IED and a gun battle waged between BSF and militants when BSF personnel were attacked as they were returning from pol duty in KarbiAnglong," The police suspected the Karbi Longri National Front (KLNLF) as perpetrators of the crime. "There were also reports of clashes between supporters of Congress and Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF)" Mr Singh said.
State election commission officials said there was no violent incident in Meghalaya. "There were reports of EVM damage from one or two polling stations in Nagaland. We have sought a report and will the needful accordingly" they said.
State election commission officials indicated that there was a likelihood of re-polling in three or four polling booths in Manipur. In Mizoram, polling was by and large peaceful. The electorate in a certain village comprising 209 voters boycotted polls entirely on the issue of re-alignment of the national highway. There were altogether of 12 cases of poll related violence and EVMS damage in Arunachal Pradesh.
Altogether, about 7.45 million voters will decide the political fortunes of 72 candidates in six states of the northeast. Thursday’s ballot will decide the fate of sitting NCP MP, Agatha K Sangma, daughter of P A Sangma and the the youngest MP in the last Lok Sabha.
It will also decide the fate of BJP MP, Kiren Rijiju, Congress heavyweight and Union Minister for Heavy Industries, Santosh Mohan Dev, former minister of state for communications, Kabindra Purukayastha of BJP and AUDF president, Badruddin Ajmal.