A total of 669 candidates, including 238 women, have filed their candidacy for three city councils and 36 town councils across the state, including the eastern state of Nagaland. According to the SEC, 17 candidates have withdrawn their candidacy from Shamtul Town Council, 13 from Longleng Town Council, nine from Tijit Town Council, eight each from Chepobozow, Pungro and Naginimola Town Councils, four from Aboi Town Council, three from Dimapur Town Council, one each from Kohima, Mokokchung, Wokha, Zunheboto, Chozba, Agunat, Athiz, Peren and Niuland Town Councils.
The ULB elections in Nagaland are scheduled to be held on June 26. The last ULB elections were held in 2004, so this will be the first time in 20 years that ULB elections will be held in Nagaland.
This is the first time that Nagaland will have a 33 percent quota for women in the Senate elections, which was the main reason why tribal groups did not allow elections to be held for two decades.
Meanwhile, a total of 61 candidates filed their candidacies in 14 town councils under the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) despite the call for them to abstain from voting in the ULB elections. Two nomination papers were rejected during vetting and 59 candidates withdrew their candidacy by Tuesday.
This means that ENPO areas will have no candidates for the ULB elections.
Tribal organisations under the umbrella of ENPO have issued summonses and public statements urging candidates to withdraw their candidacy within the deadline.
ENPO, the apex body of seven Naga tribes spread across six districts of the state, on May 16 reiterated the demand of the Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT) and announced its decision to abstain from participating in the upcoming local body elections.
The group claims that six districts in eastern Nagaland have been neglected for years and has been demanding a separate state since 2010.
The voting will take place on June 26 and the counting of votes will take place on June 29. PTI NBS NBS RG
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