NE Assembly Polls: Tripura election on Feb 16, Meghalaya and Nagaland on Feb 27

Three of Northeastern states will go to the polls in February, the Election Commission of India announced on Wednesday. Tripura Assembly Elections will take place on February 16, while Meghalaya and Nagaland assembly elections will take place on February 27.

The counting of votes will take place on March 2 for Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland. 

The term of legislative assemblies of Nagaland, Meghalaya and Tripura are scheduled to expire on March 12, 15 and 22 respectively. The dates were announced by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar at a press conference. 

“There are more than 62.8 lakh electors combined in Nagaland, Meghalaya and Tripura including 31.47 lakh female electors, 97,000  80+ voters, and 31,700 PwD voters. Over 1.76 lakh first-time voters are eligible to participate in the elections in three states,” said Kumar. 

He also said that 376 polling stations in these three states will be managed by women. 

The Election Commission will issue the gazette notification for Tripura on January 21 and Meghalaya and Nagaland on January 31. The last date of making nominations for Tripura is January 30 and Meghalaya and Nagaland is February 7. 

The date of scrutiny of nominations for Tripura is January 31, and February 8 for Meghalaya and Nagaland. Last date of withdrawal of nominations for Tripura is February 2, and February 10 for Meghalaya and  Nagaland. 

Kumar also said that young recruits of the Election Commission will manage several poll booths to fight the apathy among youth as witnessed in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. 

The CEC also urged state governments to not create temporary infrastructures, and to let these arrangements such as separate toilets for men and women, electricity, drinking water, electricity, ramps for the specially-abled to remain as “permanent gifts” in all polling booths. 

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