Election buzz: Expenditure observer confers with districts

Dimapur, March 20 (EMN): The election expenditure observer for Kohima, Dimapur, Peren, and Phek districts, and Pughoboto subdivision held what the IPR described was a “preparedness review meeting” (simply, a meeting) at Kohima on March 20.
The meeting was through video conferencing, updates from the IPR stated on Wednesday stated.
The IPR reported that Election Expenditure Observer LP Singh “took stock of the first hand information,” concerning the electioneering process being carried out by the five districts’ authorities. This is in regard to the constitution of various mechanisms, training events and related matter that are part of election expenditure and monitoring activities, it was informed.

“He invited for any queries from the districts, stating that it was the right platform to clarify their doubts where no queries have been raised by the districts,” the IPR stated.

The officer reminded the district functionaries to strictly adhere to the Model Code of Conduct for elections, and requested the mechanisms, which have been formed for the elections, to carry out their duties efficiently in their respective area.

‘All the critical events should be covered by the videography (sic), surveillance and flying squad teams and any untoward incidents should be reported accordingly,’ Singh said.

Further, the officer was stated to have asked the assistant expenditure observers (AEO) to maintain a ‘shadow observation register’ properly, which he will be inspecting during his visit to the districts. He hoped that the Excise department too have been ‘on their job.’ Singh requested the AEO to maintain proper records whenever there is confiscation of liquor in their respective area.

Likewise, LP Singh requested the nodal officers to be more vigilant and to be more effective “thereby covering all the critical aspects for the smooth electioneering process” in Nagaland. He asked them to ‘upload any issues’ for clarification through Whatsapp, or contact him directly.

‘Noting that all the mechanisms have been put in place for the conduct of the elections in all the districts, the observer informed that he would be submitting his report to the Election Commission of India informing that all the mechanism has been put in place in the five districts of Nagaland,’ the IPR added.

Election anthem
The chief electoral officer of Nagaland has released a video, a ‘clean election anthem’ for the 2019 elections with a message that voting is not only a right but also the responsibility of every citizen.

“It expresses that voting should be Ethical and Informed. The video exhorts every citizen to vote and also practice clean election which would benefit everyone and make our democracy even stronger and lead us to a brighter future,” the media cell of the CEO’s establishment stated in a note that was issued on Wednesday.

This video and several other videos making an appeal for ‘clean elections,’ have been uploaded on all the social networking sites of the CEO.

The note invited people to visit the sites and view them: chief electoral officer, Nagaland (Facebook); ceonagalanditcell.com (Instagram); chief electoral off (Twitter); CEO Election Nagaland (Youtube); website: ceo.nagaland.gov.in.

No nomination as on March 20
The deputy chief electoral officer of Nagaland, Awa Lorin, has issued a notification stating that no nomination has been filed as on March 20 for the elections to Lok Sabha for 2019 from Nagaland parliamentary constituency. It is likewise for the by-elections to the 26th Aonglenden assembly constituency in Mokokchung district, the IPR stated. The last date for filing nominations is March 25, the updates added.

Home to meet with peons
The Home department has issued in a circular informing regular office peons at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat in Kohima about a briefing that has been scheduled.

The meeting will be at the Secretariat Plaza on Friday, March 22. The meeting will be from 10:30 am. According to updates from the IPR on Wednesday, the meeting is related to election duty concerning the forthcoming parliamentary elections this year.

All the administrative heads of offices have been requested to instruct their office peons to attend the “briefing meeting.”
An attendance roll will be taken, the updates added.