EMN
KOHIMA, AUGUST 30
THE Congress has taken a strong exception to Noksen village authority asking its candidate Limaonen Chang not to contest in the Noksen Assembly by-elections to be held on September 4.
In a complaint letter to the Chief Electoral Officer, the Congress said the Noksen Village Council had issued a diktat to Limaonen not to contest the by-election to pave the way for Naga Peoples Front (NPF) candidate, C M Chang who is also from the same village. The Village Council is duly constituted under the Village Council Act and it cannot challenge or hijack the constitutional process of election the congress said. Former minister, H. Chuba Chang who is also from Noksen village had decided not to contest after the request was made by the village council.
The Tuensang administration has also directed the Sub-Divisional Officer of Noksen to inquire into the matter and submit the report to Deputy Commissioner, Tuensang who is also a Deputy Electoral Officer.
The Congress also asked the Chief Electoral Officer to issue a strict order with punitive consequences to the village authority and that they should be made directly accountable for possible booth capturing, intimidation to the voters and manipulation of the election process. The party has also emphasized the need for tight security measures and sufficient manpower in the sensitive polling stations namely, Noksen, Sangtak, Longra, Momching, Sangschen and Yimrup.
The Congress has further demanded that CCTV cameras be installed in all the 21 polling stations. Past experience has proved that failure to install the video recording in the polling stations had invited open booth capturing, intimidation and manipulation of election process, thus denying the voters the right to exercise their democratic franchise.
They also want a micro observer to be deputed and stationed in all polling stations to ensure that one man one vote is strictly adhered to at any cost.
The party also demanded the installation of CCTV cameras in the strong room till counting day and that the scrutiny of election results be announced well ahead of time.
In another letter to the Chief Election Commission of India, the Congress said Nagaland being a tribal state, the concept of one man one vote has continuously been violated by the Village Councils which casts all votes in polling booths on behalf of the villagers.
It alleged that the ruling NPF has influenced the Village Councils to adopt council system voting where a few representatives from each village council will vote on behalf of the villagers in the Noksen by-election.
Meanwhile, Luizinho Faleiro, General Secretary AICC in-charge of Nagaland will arrive in the State tomorrow to campaign for Limaonen. He will be accompanied by Bhupen Kr. Borah, secretary AICC.
Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio, and several of his senior cabinet ministers are already campaigning for C M Chang.
