Nagaland ULB elections: 42.04 per cent voter turnout recorded till 12 noon

Voting for the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections in the state is taking place today. The voter turnout stood at 42.04 per cent till 12:30 PM.

This is the first-ever municipal election in Nagaland with 33 per cent reservation for women, with the last ULB election held in 2004 without reservation. 

Polling is taking place in 420 polling stations under 214 wards spread across three municipalities and 21 town councils. A total of 523 candidates are in the fray, with the youngest candidate, a 22-year-old female, contesting in Bhandari Ward-1, while the oldest candidate is an 81-year-old man in Chozuba Ward-5. 

Also Read: Nagaland ULB elections: Paid holiday for workers in commercial and industrial establishments

Earlier, 64 candidates had already been declared elected unopposed. For voter identification, the State Election Commission has said electors can carry any government-issued identification document, such as Aadhaar, PAN card, driving license and others.

Meanwhile, the Labour Commissioner of Nagaland declared a paid holiday for workers employed in commercial and industrial establishments for the ULB elections which are currently underway across the state, on June 26. 

The decision aims to ensure widespread voter participation among the workforce.

According to a directive issued by the Labour Department, employers have been mandated to compensate their employees with wages equivalent to their daily average earnings for June 26. The directive explicitly prohibits any deductions from workers' wages on this account.

The announcement comes amidst extensive preparations for the significant electoral event, with 523 candidates set to compete across various municipal and town councils in Nagaland.