Day: February 5, 2012

IMPHAL, Feb 5: Polling agents of MSCP and NPF candidates of Nungba constituency have today lodged a complaint with the Tamenglong district election officer on excesses committed by agents of Congress candidate, G Gaikhangam in a bid to manipulate polling at Tupul polling station during re-poll yesterday.

The MSCP candidate, Adim Pamei, met press men at the party’s office at Konung Mamang this afternoon in this regard and recounted the unfair tactics of the Congress workers.

He said, re-polling process at the Tupul was duly completed at around 3.15 pm without any major disturbances. At that time, the EVM had recorded a polling of 597. As per regulations, all the inner agents put their signature and the sealing of the EVM was finalized.

All of a sudden, he said, the election agent of Gaikhangam, John Pamei pulled out a pistol and fired four/five blank shots to intimidate the polling officials and demanded continuation of voting in order to enable proxy voting by scores of Congress supporters who have been brought in from Khouvum, Nungba and Noney for that purpose.

In connivance with polling officials, voting was carried out on the spare EVM, which was meant for emergency purposes, beyond the voting hours, he said.

The agents of both NPF and INC refused to put their signatures during the sealing of the second EVM, on the ground that it was in violation of the governing polling regulations.

In the complaint to the DEO, the MSCP and NPF polling agents have demanded that only the first EVM should be considered for counting while the second EVM should be cancelled.

Moreever, they have sought an investigation into the firing incident involving John Pamei and pleaded that befitting punishment be awarded to him.  

Meanwhile, the Chakanlong Peidai of Charol Tupul, the customary village court, has supported the charges leveled against the Congress in a press statement issued today. It said the whole polling team that included the security personnel allowed the Congress supporters to rigged the poll and cast votes on the second EVM after a mayhem was created by the gun fires and violent clashes between rival supporters. The agents and supporters of other parties were scared away.

The pedai has contended that 59 outside voters included illegally in the electoral roll got permission to cast their votes despite the long standing demand for their deletion. It pointed out that Tamenglong DC and Nungba SDO had ignored directives from the EC and the chief secretary for deletion of the voters and the ECI should conduct an independent enquiry to find out the reasons for not following its order.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/mscp-npf-allege-armed-congress-supporters-rigged-tupul-bypoll/

IMPHAL, Feb 5: Reports of intimidation in hill areas regarding the assembly polls continued to be reported. One Phelix Lunghtoi, 35, son of Kinjelung of Maram Ching of Tamenglong AC was assaulted by NPF candidate, Samuel Jendai along with his workers.

Talking to IFP, Phelix stated that he along with some of his friends left Tamenglong district headquarters on January 3 for Songpram polling station which was scheduled for repoll. After reaching Songpram, he along with one of his friends went on a motorcycle to the upper Songpram village area. On the way back, Phelix was reportedly waylaid by Samuel Jendai who came in a Maruti gypsy along with his workers.Phelix was later asked to come along with the NPF workers,but the latter refused. Phelix said that he was manhandled by some of the NPF workers and forcibly taken to Songpram NPF office where he was interrogated for collusion with another candidate of the said assembly constituency. Later, he was allegedly beaten up and kept inside the NPF office.

According to Phelix’s statement, the NPF candidate had intimidated workers of his nearest rivals and used threatening words. It was reported that he along with his worker also assaulted  a resident of Songpram village,  Keibunsin, aged 30.

In the meantime, villagers who had heard of the incident reportedly mobbed the NPF candidate and his entourage and further blocked the candidate from leaving the village. Afterwards, after tendering his apology to the villagers, the NPF candidate with his workers left the village.

IFP photographed the tell-tale injury marks on  the upper and lower body areas of Phelix who is presently hospitalized at RIMS hospital for internal injuries. Protesting the assault, he said “ Elections should be conducted fairly and each individual should be given the right to exercise one’s democratic rights.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/mscp-worker-allegedly-thrashed-by-samuel-jendai-supporters/

KOHIMA,  Feb 5 (Agencies): The Congress will be fighting the ruling Naga Peoples Front (NPF)-led ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) on the issues of law and order and corruption in the coming municipal elections and next year’s assembly polls in Nagaland, according to party sources.

Officials and members of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) met here yesterday to discuss its strategy for the coming elections. It reviewed the performance of the DAN government since it came to power in 2003.

Sources said elections to four municipal councils and fifteen town committees in the state are likely to be held in the month of April. Assembly elections are due in early 2013.

The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee has identified two important issues —rampant corruption and glaring nepotism leading to misuse of huge central funds and lack of development, economic stagnation and escalating unemployment besides, deteriorating law and order situation causing escalation of factional feuds and unabated extortion leading to sky rocketing of prices of commodities.

A NPCC note released to the media said “Deteriorating law and order, escalating factional feuds and growing sense of public insecurity is a typical carbon copy of lawlessness and constitutional breakdown in the state,” the NPCC said resolving to intensify anti-corruption measures on a `war footing`.

It also alleged, “Parallel governments are existing in the state and DAN has no hold over the eroding situation.”

The meeting further entrusted NPCC to `rigorously` track and `pin down` tainted persons or officials in various departments, especially in education and home departments. Five FIRs were filed in the State Vigilance Commission against the two departments.

It lambasted the DAN government’s recent directive to enforce `no work, no pay` on employees for poor attendance. It said, the stance speak volumes on the morale of government machineries in a `morally and financially corrupt establishment`.

Congress sources further said, the municipal elections would be an indicator of the next year’s assembly election.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/02/cong-sets-agenda-for-municipal-assembly-elections-in-nagaland/