Zee Media Bureau/Ritesh K Srivastava
6:10 pm: 55 percent votes cast in Arunachal
About 55 per cent votes were cast for the two Lok Sabha seats and 49 out of the 60 assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh, where the simultaneous polling was held peacefully, PTI reported. The vote percentage will go up as reports from interior districts are yet to be received, Election Commission sources said.
2.05 pm: Congress candidate kidnapped, released
Congress candidate from Konsa (W) legislative assembly in troubled Tirap district was allegedly kidnapped by ultras while six EVMs were damaged in three districts during the polling to two Lok Sabha and 60 assembly seats in the state, an election official said.
Yumsum Matey representing Khonsa West was allegedly kidnapped in the morning by underground elements but later returned safely after intervention by the security forces, IGP (Law and order) Satyendra Garg said.
Six EVMs in three districts, Polsorang polling booth in remote Kurung Kumey, Bat under Upper Subansiri and one in East Kameng district were reportedly damaged by supporters of various political parties, he said.
1.05 pm: Sluggish voting, minor clashes reported
Balloting in simultaneous elections to Arunachal Pradesh`s two Lok Sabha seats and the state assembly was sluggish in the first few hours, with reports of some political workers snatching voting machines.
11.45 am: 16 malfunctioning EVMs replaced in Arunachal
As many as 16 Electronic Voting Machines were replaced after they developed technical snags during voting for the two Lok Sabha seats and 49 out of 60 Assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh.
State Chief Electoral officer Chandra Bhusan Kumar said polling process halted for a brief period after three EVMs developed technical snag in three booths at Naharlagun, while 13 EVMs were found defective during mock polling (6 am to 7 am) before formal voting begun.
11.05 am: 11% voters cast ballot till 10 am
An estimated eleven percent electorate cast their votes till 10 am for the two Lok Sabha seats and 49 out of 60 Assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh, polling for which began this morning.
The turnout of voters during the morning hour was moderate, deputy chief electoral officer D J Bhattacharya said.
9.30 am: Long queues at polling booths
Braving inclement weather after overnight downpour, voters in large number have thronged polling booths to exercise their franchise in their best outfits.
8.30 am: Governor casts votes
Prominent voters like Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Nirbhay Singh and his wife cast their votes from a polling booth near the Raj Bhawan.
8.15 am: CM casts votes in Sagalee constituency
Chief Minister Nabam Tuki exercised his franchise from Sagalee constituency in Papum Pare district.
7.30 am: Peaceful polling in many areas
Polling for 49 assembly seats begins peacefully amid tight security. The main contest will be between Congress and BJP but new entrant Naga Peoples Front (NPF), along with PPA and NCP are expected to put up formidable fight in several seats.
Altogether 155 candidates including 5 women are in the fray for 49 of the 60 Assembly seats in the state. The rest 11 seats have been won uncontested by Congress. Among the winners are Chief Minister Nabam Tuki from Sagalee constituency. An electorate of 7,53,170, including 3,77,272 women will cast their votes in 2,158 polling stations in the state.
An additional 20 companies of central paramilitary forces besides 24 existing companies have been deployed as well as 8000 policemen to maintain law and order during the polls. All the inter-state check gates have been sealed till 5pm today.
The state capital is experiencing moderate rains since last night. The state government has declared a holiday today to enable voters to exercise their franchise.
7.05 am: Voting begins for 49 Assembly seats
Over 750,000 people in India`s mountainous state of Arunachal Pradesh will cast their ballot for simultaneous elections for the state assembly and for the two Lok Sabha seats, which began on Wednesday.
In the assembly polls, 11 Congress candidates, including Chief Minister Nabam Tuki and two cabinet colleagues Tanga Bayaling and Pema Khandu, have already won uncontested. Hence the polls would be held only for 49 seats.
Altogether 7,53,170 voters - among them 3,77,272 women - will decide the fate of candidates contesting the assembly seats in the state bordering China and Myanmar.
Late former chief minister Dorjee Khandu, who died in a helicopter crash, had won unopposed for two consecutive times from Mukto constituency in Tawang in 2004 and 2009. As many as 155 candidates, including five women, will battle it out in the remaining 49 assembly constituencies.
Candidates from the Naga People`s Front, Nationalist Congress Party and People`s Party of Arunachal (PPA) are also in the fray in some constituencies.
BJP`s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio and film personalities Raza Murad and Asrani have campaigned in the state.
The killing of Arunachal student Nido Tania in New Delhi was one of the main election issues, apart from the need for a corruption-free government, better law and order and resolution of the border dispute with neighbouring state Assam.
With Agency Inputs
