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Latest update: Election Commission announces election dates for Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland announced. Elections in Tripura will be held on 18 February while Meghalaya and Nagaland will vote on the 27, the Election Commission has announced. Results for all three states will be declared on 3 March which is a Saturday. CEC AK Joti on Thursday said that the EVM and VVPAT will be used in all three states. Addressing the media in New Delhi, Joti added that the first level checks have been completed. Election Commission on Thursday will announce the Assembly poll dates for the three northeastern states — Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland. The announcement is likely to come in the afternoon, reports said. Reports suggested polling is likely to be in one phase and the votes will also be counted on a single day. Tripura has to elect a new assembly by 6 March. The terms of the Meghalaya and Nagaland assemblies end on 13 and 14 March. Assemblies in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura are set to expire on 6, 13 and 14 March respectively. The strength of the three assemblies is 60 members each. The Election Commission is already running behind schedule in announcing the dates. For the 2013 elections, dates were declared on 11 January, The Times of India reported. Pending peace settlement with insurgent groups in Nagaland and issue of alleged dubious voters in Tripura is said to be the reason for slightly delayed announcement.
Assembly poll 2018 updates: Model Code of Conduct kicks in; Tripura to vote on 18 Feb, Meghalaya, Nagaland on 27 Feb, results on 3 March, says EC
Election Commission on Thursday will announce the Assembly poll dates for the three northeastern states — Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland. The announcement is likely to come in the afternoon, reports said
 "Assembly poll 2018 updates: Model Code of Conduct kicks in; Tripura to vote on 18 Feb, Meghalaya, Nagaland on 27 Feb, results on 3 March, says EC")
In Tripura, BJP might ally with tribal party
Talks between the BJP and the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IBFT) have been “positive” and a decision on an alliance with the tribal party will be taken by the central leadership, Tripura BJP chief Biplab Deb told PTI. He also made it clear that his party does not support the IPFT’s demand for a separate state for the tribal population and talks have focused on improving socio-economic conditions of tribals.
“Talks have been positive. Decision on any alliance will be taken by the central leadership,” he told PTI.
Hopes that lasting peace in Nagaland would return soared in 2015
The expectations for a lasting peace have soared in Nagaland, which had been hit by insurgency for decades, after the Centre and the NSCN-IM signed a framework agreement in 2015.
The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) (NSCN-IM) has been engaged with peace talks with the interlocutor of the central government since 1997, when it announced a ceasefire agreement after a bloody insurgency movement which started in Nagaland soon after the country’s Independence.
During a visit to Nagaland in November last, President Ram Nath Kovind had said the state was at the threshold of making history as the final agreement on the Naga political issue would soon be arrived at and a lasting peace achieved. On 19 September, Nagaland Governor P B Acharya had said the vexed Naga issue would be solved within a few months, PTI reported.
Civil groups in Nagaland had demanded that polls be deferred
Earlier this month, civil society groups in Nagaland demanded that the elections in the state be deferred to facilitate a solution to the vexed Naga insurgency issue. Home minister Rajnath Singh rebuffed the request and said that the election will be held on schedule.
The Election Commission on Thursday announced the poll dates for three northeastern states – Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya.
Naga People’s Front at the helm of 60-member Nagaland Assembly
In Nagaland, the Naga People’s Front is at the helm of the 60-member Nagaland Assembly. The BJP won four seats while the JD(U) bagged one in the last election in 2013. Ahead of the polls, the BJP has accused the Manik Sarkar-led government of “misrule.”
IN SHORT: Important dates
Polling in Tripura: 18 February, 2018 (Sunday)
Polling in Meghalaya and Nagaland: 27 February, 2018 (Tuesday)
Counting of votes in all three states: 3 March, 2018 (Saturday)
Results: 3 March, 2018 (Saturday)
Election dates for three states announced
“Election for the three states will happen in two rounds. Tripura will vote on 18 February, 2018, which is a Sunday. Meghalaya and Nagaland will vote on 27 February which is a Tuesday,” said AK Joti.
The CEC further said that the counting of votes in all three states will be conducted on 3 March, 2018. The results will be declared on the same day.
CEC begins press conference
Chief Election Commissioner AK Joti has begun addressing a press conference to announce the dates. Remember, once the dates are announced, the Model Code of Conduct comes into force in the three states.
Women voters outnumber men in Meghalaya: Report
Women voters outnumbered men in the state of Meghalaya, the voters’ list which was recently published showed. Women make up 50.4 percent of the registered voters, PTI reported. There are 18,30,104 voters, of which 9,23,848 are women. No one registered under the third gender option. Meghalaya, with a population of 3.2 million people, has a literacy rate of 74.4 percent.
Model Code of Conduct comes into effect from today: CEC Joti
Addressing the media in New Delhi, CEC Joti said that the Model Code of Conduct comes into effect from today
Model code of conduct comes into effect from today: CEC AK Joti in Delhi on Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura legislative assembly elections pic.twitter.com/yoB8eTz5KD
— ANI (@ANI) January 18, 2018
EVM, VVPAT will be used in all three states, says CEC
Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura all have 60 seats each. EVM and VVPAT will be used in all three states, first level checks have been completed: CEC AK Joti
Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura all have 60 seats each. EVM and VVPAT will be used in all three states, first level checks have been completed : CEC AK Joti in Delhi pic.twitter.com/MZ04T4lH7a
— ANI (@ANI) January 18, 2018
Polling likely to be held in one phase, suggest reports
Reports suggest polling is likely to be in one phase and the votes will also be counted on a single day.
Assemblies in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura are set to expire on 6, 13 and 14 March
Poll dates for Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland are being announced first as their Assemblies expire in March. The tenure of the Karnataka Assembly ends in May, Mizoram in December and Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in January 2019.
EC to announce poll dates this afternoon
The Election Commission of India is expected to announce the schedule for elections to three states this afternoon. Of the eight states going to polls this year, the Houses of Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland expire in March. Follow our live blog for news on the dates of voting, counting and results to the three states here.
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