10 legislators from Eastern Nagaland appeal to people to vote
As all preparations are on for the smooth conduct of the first phase of elections to the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland, Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) has called for an indefinite shutdown in the Eastern Nagaland jurisdiction from 6 pm on Thursday.
The shutdown was announced at a time when polling parties have been dispatched for the 738 polling stations in the six districts – Mon, Tuensang, Longleng, Kiphire, Shamator and Noklak for the first phase of voting slated from 7 am on Friday.
While announcing the shutdown, the ENPO’s Public Emergency Control Room has exempted the government employees on election duty with valid ID proof, district administration, army, paramilitary personnel and Nagaland Police, medical emergencies, fire and emergency services, PHED, postal services and ENPO tribal bodies, ENWO, ENSF and EN Public Emergency Volunteers from the purview of the shutdown.
The reason for the shutdown is believed to be the central government’s failure to keep its word to resolve the Frontier Nagaland statehood demand that was given by the senior BJP leaders before the Nagaland Legislative Assembly elections in February 2023.
On April 17, the ENPO made an earnest appeal to the 20 MLAs from the region to stay indoors on the day of voting to avoid “unnecessary confrontation.”
Eastern Nagaland includes six districts that make up 25 per cent of the total voters of Nagaland.
However, the Eastern Nagaland Legislators Union (ENLU) has appealed to ENPO and 10 other tribal organizations and the public to participate in the voting and fulfil their constitutional responsibility to create a conducive atmosphere for the continuation of negotiation of Frontier Nagaland and to keep the talks alive with the Central government.
In a statement here, the ENLU assured that they would extend fullest cooperation to the negotiation process once a new government is formed at the Centre.
“However, the ENPO and tribal hohos have forced the legislators not to participate in the democratic process of election,” the state said.
“Abstention from the Lok Sabha election does not provide any advantage in the negotiation rather it may delay the entire process. The ENLU members are concerned that such a decision will hinder the negotiation process and may even lead to the breakdown of the talks,” the statement also said.
“It is important for all stakeholders of Eastern Nagaland involved in the negotiation process not to lose sight of our common objective of Frontier Nagaland. Any course of action that compromises this objective becomes questionable In the event the talks fail or are affected adversely due to the non-participation in the election, the legislators of Eastern Nagaland will not be answerable and should not be blamed,” it added.
Over 13.25 lakh voters on Friday will decide the fate of three candidates – Congress nominee S Supongmeren Jamir, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) candidate Chumben Murry and Independent Hayithung Tungoe Lotha Wgho are contesting the poll.
Of the total 2,342 polling booths, 588 have been marked as critical and vulnerable.
More than 19,999 first-time voters, 22,140 senior citizens above 85 years and 6,707 people with disabilities.
Nagaland has more female electors at 6,64,460 voters as against 6,60,923 male voters.
Altogether 180 polling parties for the 2,342 polling stations have left for their polling booths.
There are 506 all-women polling stations while four booths will be managed by persons with disabilities.
1,097 polling stations will have a webcasting facility and 82 will be under offline videography.
Besides 48 companies of CAPF, another 50 companies of the state police, Indian Reserve Battalions, Special Task Force and 600 Home Guards personnel and Village guards will be deployed during the polling exercise.
Image Credit: CEO Nagaland
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