KOHIMA: Polling for the by-election to Tapi assembly seat in Nagaland's Mon district was progressing smoothly with 60 per cent of over 15,000 voters exercising their franchise till 11 am on Tuesday, an official said.

No untoward incident was reported from any of the 23 polling stations, Joint Chief Electoral Officer Awa Lorin said. ''The polling process is underway smoothly without any report of untoward incidents from the 23 polling stations, while 60.40 per cent out of the 15,256 electors have cast their vote till 11 am,'' Lorin said.

Polling, which began at 7 am, will continue till 4 pm. Webcasting is being conducted in all the 23 polling stations and voting is being directly monitored by Nagaland CEO and the Election Committee of India (ECI), Returning Officer Rongsenmenla Jamir told PTI here. A total of 15,256 voters – 7,788 men and 7,468 women – are eligible to exercise their franchise, she said.

The by-election was necessitated following the death of Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) MLA Noke Wangnao on August 28.

Ruling NDPP candidate Wangpang Konyak and Congress nominee Wanglem Konyak are in the fray.

The counting of votes will take place on December 3.