Lok Sabha polls 2024: Four lakh voters in eastern Nagaland abstain from voting during 'shutdown' over state demand issue

Guwahati: Election personnel engaged in six districts in eastern Nagaland witnessed an embarrassing situation on Friday as none of over four lakh voters turned up to cast their votes during polling for the state's lone Lok Sabha seat.

The voters abstained from casting their votes due to a "shutdown" called by the influential Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO) over its long demand for a separate state comprising the six districts.

Officials said 20 MLAs, belonging to the ruling BJP and its ally NDPP, representing eastern Nagaland also did not turn up to cast their votes.

The ENPO had earlier "summoned" all the 20 legislators and asked them to stay away from the polling given the Centre's negligence to its demand for a "Frontier Nagaland state." The ENPO, an apex body of seven Naga tribes, have been demanding a separate state saying development in eastern Nagaland has remained neglected even after 60 years of Nagaland's statehood (1963).

After casting his vote, Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio told reporters that the state government has no problem with the ENPO as it already recommended powers for the region.

Sources said the ENPO is angry as the state government recommended for an autonomous body, like several autonomous councils in other states in the Northeast, for the eastern Nagaland instead of supporting a full-fledged separate state. "The MLAs and the ENPO have to sit across the table and work out the system," he said.

Home Minister Amit Shah held talks with the ENPO ahead of the Assembly elections held last year.

Of the 13.25 lakh total voters in Nagaland, six districts, Mon, Tuensang, Kiphire, Longley, Noklak and Shamator and some neighbouring areas have a little over four lakh voters. The ENPO has been demanding creation of the Frontier Nagaland state since 2010. Organisations representing some tribes also supported the ENPO's demand.