Kohima: A day after six eastern Nagaland districts witnessed zero voter turnout in phase 1 of Lok Sabha 2024 election, the Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO) on Saturday lifted the indefinite total shutdown imposed by them in these districts of the state.
The organisation in a statement clarified that it has lifted the total shutdown in the districts with immediate effect on Saturday and also expressed regret over inconvenience caused during the period of shutdown.
"The indefinite total shutdown imposed by the Eastern Nagaland Public Emergency Control Room, Tuensang Hq, effective from 6 pm on April 18, 2024 is hereby lifted with immediate effect. We Regret All Inconveniences Caused," read the statement.
On Friday, election officials at 738 polling stations in the six districts – Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang – waited for over nine hours, but none of the 4 lakh (approx) voters from the region showed up due to a call to abstain from the electoral process given by ENPO pressing for their demand for a separate ‘Frontier Nagaland Territory’.
Elsewhere, a voter turnout of around 57 per cent was recorded for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the state that went to the polls under tight security cover on Friday. The 20 MLAs representing the Eastern Nagaland region also did not exercise their franchise, responding to the 'abstain from voting' call given by the ENPO, the apex body of seven tribes from the six districts.
In a show cause notice to the ENPO, Nagaland's Chief Electoral Officer R. Vyasan has indicated taking appropriate action under the Indian Penal Code for the 'abstention' call given by the tribal body. The ENPO said that its public notice announcing the shutdown was to mitigate potential disturbances by anti-social elements.
The ENPO had announced the indefinite shutdown in six districts from 6 pm (April 18), more than 12 hours before polling for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the State was to start. The announcement followed the decision of the apex bodies and other NGOs of seven major tribes inhabiting the districts to boycott the polls in protest against the failure of the Centre to create the Frontier Nagaland Territory.
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