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Dimapur, Nov. 15 (EMN): The Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) has refuted the statement issued by “some dissident/ vested interest group” which was published by some sections of the local media on November 13 and termed it as “nothing but an after-thought, concocted and with mala-fide intention of misleading the people”.
In a rejoinder jointly issued by the chairman of search/ selection commission TL Merry, member secretary Munthin Newmai, members KV John and Joyous Shingnaisui, and NCD president and ex-officio member, the council clarified that previous NCD office bearers continued to officiate their respective assigned duties as caretaker due to exigencies and unavoidable circumstances caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, though their tenure expired on March 31, 2020.
It mentioned that as a prevalent practice, a search/selection commission was set up on July 4 and no illegality could be attributed to the stop-gap arrangement that was in place during the lockdown in Dimapur. It added that due to the lockdown in Dimapur and the ban on gathering/meetings, the commission could not call for a general meeting.
It further mentioned that the then president and general secretary had written to the then deputy commissioner of Dimapur but was not granted the permission.
It, however, said the commission was taken aback when it learned that some vested individuals had approached a court in Dimapur and had also obtained an interim order, whereby the election/selection/nomination was stayed.
“Nevertheless, as law abiding citizens and respect for due process of law, the commission kept the search/ selection of new office bearers in abeyance till further order/ orders was passed by the Hon’ble court by order dated 13-08-2020, was pleased to vacate the Interim order, dated 09-07-2020, passed in IA (Civil) No. 75/2020 A/T CS No. 06/2020,” the statement read.
As a natural corollary to the interim stay order being vacated, it stated that the commission convened a general meeting on 22-08-2020 and appointed a new team of office bearers for the tenure 2020-2025 in the presence of the current councillors from the various Dimapur-based tribal hohos including presidents and officials.
It justified that the process carried out by the ex-office bearers and the commission members was well within the established constitution governing the NCD and added that their actions, if any, cannot be termed as arbitrary, ultra-vires or illegal.