Of late Clean Election Campaign has been in the daily news and is now becomes the talk of the day. As appeared in the Local Dailies many Organizations viz as Church Bodies and NGO’s have raised many issues to be tackled in order to curb unclean election practices. Some points to be noted by various Organisations are, proposing the concept of educating the voters, to pledge voters not to sell their votes, refrain from proxy voting and violence. It also mentioned some significant points, that a candidate should not be alcoholic, immoral, uncultured, self-seeking, violent, and haughty but to be well-informed, devoted, and unselfish in nature and effectively represent the people for constructive development, which is a very commendable initiative. It will not be an easy challenge, nevertheless is not impracticable task and the achievement can be a great inspiration to many who are longing for a Clean Election. Clean or Free and Fair Election should also include a clean electoral roll and right to vote by individuals to exercise their democratic rights and not a family head and community leaders’ votes on behalf of the family and the whole community in understanding with the polling officials on the pretext of avoiding conflict and violence.
Obviously the Municipal Councils and Town Councils Election will be held sooner or later; with or without 33% reservation for Women and therefore whether General Election / M.P. Election / Municipal Election/Town Council should be treated at par, as far as Clean Election Campaign is concerned. The first Municipality of Kohima was constituted in the year 2005 as per the provisions of the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001 with 19 elected Councillors which later ended in the year 2010. The Electoral Roll of the Kohima Municipal Council election was revised in the year 2009 and the Total enrolment of New Market, Ward No.8 Polling Station 1 (One) is 1107 (One Thousand One Hundred and Seven ), whereas the total enrolment of the Assembly Election for New Market Ward No. 8 for Polling Station I (One) and II (Two) is 1083 (One Thousand Eighty three only) as on 1.1.2016 and this figure of 24 votes difference after a gap of five years seems to be abnormal and erroneous. During the last Assembly Election, with a clean electoral roll containing genuine voters only in Ward No. 8 is the factor for 80% voting completed by 1.P.M peacefully and hence, it is desirable that this system of fair election consisting genuine voters only may also apply in the Municipal Election in future. However, it was found that many bogus voters were included in the revised electoral list published in the year 2009 and many genuine voters have shifted to other places and at the same time the names of many voters in the list are not alive. Moreover, for the past 5 years no new inclusions are made and therefore lots of genuine electors presently resided will be deprived of their rights to vote and they may involve in unfair means for proxy voting creating confusion and conflict and lead to violent activities that might affect law and order situation. This problem may not be only in New Market Ward No.8 but all other Wards are to be affected. I therefore feel that the right platform to address the issue for revision of fresh electoral roll for upcoming Kohima Municipal Council Election is the” Association of Ward Panchayat, Kohima Municipal Council” and “Ward Panchayat Bodies” of all the 19 Wards and hence request them to approach the concern Department for preparation of a Fresh Electoral Revision at the earliest in the interest of the public and for a Free, Fair and Clean Election.
