National
68% polling in Nagaland till end of voting hours, voters in queues (Second Lead)
Kohima, Feb 27 (IANS) Over 68 per cent of the total 11.70 lakh voters exercised their franchise in Nagaland Assembly elections by the end of voting hours on Tuesday even as hundreds were still awaiting their turn to cast their ballot, officials said.
Tuesday’s election was marred by a clash between supporters of the ruling Naga People’s Front and the Bharatiya Janata Party in Zunheboto district, in which one person was shot dead and two persons injured.
“Though voting ended at 4 p.m., a huge numbers of voters were still waiting in queues at a large number of polling stations across the state,” Chief Electoral Officer Abhijit Sinha told IANS.
He said the voting percentage was, therefore, expected to increase.
In the 2013 Nagaland elections, 90.19 per cent voter turnout was recorded.
Nagaland Police chief Rupin Sharma told IANS on the clash: “Initially, some people prevented voters from entering the polling station, which was opposed by a rival group after which clashes erupted in Akuluto constituency. The two groups indulged in firing, following which police opened fire. As of now, we are not able to ascertain the cause of injuries.”
He said police reinforcements were rushed to the area to control the situation.
Sinha said polling was smooth in Akuluto seat.
Even before polling commenced at 7 a.m., one person was injured when a bomb went off at a polling station at 5.45 a.m., and a mob destroyed a Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machine in Tizit constituency in eastern Meghalaya.
However, Sinha said polling had since resumed and went on smoothly in the affected polling stations.
A total of 11,91,513 electorate, including 5,89,806 women and 26,900 new voters, were to decide the fate of 195 candidates, including five women and many independents. Counting of votes will take place on March 3.
There were no third-gender voters in the state.
Three-time Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDDP) has been declared elected unopposed from Northern Angami-II constituency after lone rival Chupfuo Angami of the ruling Naga People’s Front (NPF) withdrew his nomination on February 12.
The newly floated NDPP has stitched an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party and the two are contesting 40 and 20 seats, respectively.
“We are confident of emerging as the single largest party and will unseat the NPF from power in Nagaland,” Rio told IANS.
However, Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang voiced confidence that the NPF will retain power.
“We are confident we will emerge as the single-largest party on March 3 when votes are counted. We will retain power and lead the next government,” Zeliang told IANS.
The run-up to the polls saw several twists and turns, with the Core Committee of Nagaland Tribal Hohos and Civil Organisations (CCNTHCO) demanding a solution to the vexed Naga problem before the elections.
Polling time in 103 polling stations in six districts was from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., while in the remaining 2,053 stations it was 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Of the 2,156 polling stations, 1,062 were designated ‘critical’, and 530 ‘vulnerable’.
–IANS
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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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