Congress flags differential treatment in vote counting day rescheduling

DIMAPUR — Reacting to the decision to reschedule the date for the counting of votes for Mizoram and not Nagaland, when Christians are in majority in both states, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has questioned the criteria used by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to make the rescheduling.

In a press release, the party stated that the counting of votes in Mizoram was originally scheduled for December 3, but was later rescheduled to December 4, with the Election Commission citing the reasons for the change as Sunday holds a special significance for the people of Mizoram, a Christian-majority state.

The party questioned that when both Nagaland and Mizoram are Christian-majority states, what additional criteria was considered by the ECI to conclude that it was okay to respect the religious sentiments of the people of Mizoram but not so of those of Nagaland?

It noted that, with regard to the scheduling of the date of vote counting for the 43 Tapi assembly constituency by poll on December 3, which falls on a Sunday, and taking into account the sentiments of the state’s Christian majority residents, the NPCC had written to the ECI to reschedule the vote counting day but had received no positive response.

“Also, when will the government and the parties of the day in the state take some time out of their festive mood and emulate their counterparts from Mizoram in raising the real and pressing issues of its constituents?” the statement read.

Also read: EC revises Mizoram’s vote-counting date to December 4