Voting for the Nagaland Assembly polls began at 7 am on Monday, with over 13 lakh electors set to decide the electoral fate of 183 candidates, officials said. The nominees are contesting in 59 out of 60 seats, as the Akuluto seat in Zunheboto district was won uncontested by BJP nominee and sitting MLA Kazheto Kinimi.

Polling will continue in Nagaland till 4 pm, while the counting of votes will be on March 2. The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the BJP are contesting the polls on a 40:20 seat-sharing basis. The Congress, which ruled the state till 2003 and does not have any member in the current House, has fielded 23 aspirants.

The NDPP-BJP combine is seeking a mandate for the second term, with Neiphiu Rio as the chief ministerial candidate of the alliance. The NPF, which won 26 seats in the last assembly polls, has fielded candidates in 22 seats, but one of them withdrew, leaving 21 in the fray.

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A total of 19 nominees will contest as Independents. The electors include 6,47,523 male and 6,49,876 female voters, who are eligible to exercise their franchise in 2,291 polling stations.