The first urban local body polls held in Nagaland after a gap of two decades on Wednesday saw a peaceful and heavy voter turnout of about 83 per cent.

State Election Commissioner (SEC) T. John Longkumer said the provisional polling percentage was 83 per cent and no poll-reported violence or reports for repoll were received till early evening.

Ballot papers were used for voting. The results will be declared on June 29.

A three-tier security ring was in place with the deployment of 108 companies of security personnel to ensure the polls took place peacefully.

This year’s ULB polls are significant because it is the first time it is being held after 2004 and for the first time with 33 per cent reservation for women, which triggered a protracted battle between those in favour and those against the quota.

It was one of the key reasons for the delay in holding the polls. When asked what could have contributed to the high turnout, Longkumer, a former Nagaland DGP, said, “For the first time in Nagaland ULB history, 33 per cent female reservation was implemented. There were 198 female contestants in the fray out of 523 contestants. This may have also contributed to a higher turnout...Yes, women turned out in large numbers.”

The female voters (1,13,521) outnumbered male voters (1,10,115) in the total voter count of 2,23,636 voters. Elections were held for three municipal and 22 town councils covering 214 wards after the candidates of 14 town councils from Eastern Nagaland comprising six of the state’s 16 districts withdrew their nominations.

Eastern Nagaland had similarly abstained from the April 19 Lok Sabha polls which the Opposition Congress won.