DIMAPUR, APRIL 3 (MExN): CLP Leader, Tokheho Yepthomi today alleged “highhandedness” on the part of the Peren district administration and sought clarification from the Election Observer and the Nagaland Chief Election Officer on actions of the EAC (Sadar) Peren.
A press note from the CLP leader informed that on April 3, he was in Jalukie to attend a meeting at the Town Council Hall. “I was informed that the EAC (Sadar) Peren came to check my briefcase which I had kept in the vehicle,” he stated. Tokheho added that he came out from the meeting and “asked under whose order he was sent to frisk my belongings.” On the EAC’s response “that that election commission had issued an order,” Tokheho said that he asked the former to produce the order. However, the EAC could not produce it, “as there is no such an order,” he stated.
The EAC then said that the ADC, Peren had sent him to “check my vehicle and belongings,” alleged Tokheho. “I reiterated that there was nothing illegal in my briefcase therefore he need not check my vehicle and belongings. I also explained to him that there was nothing except my note pads, first aid medicine and Bible . . .,” He added.
However, on the insistence of the EAC that he had to “perform her duty as per the directive given by the higher up,” Tokheho “opened the briefcase.”
Stating that he has “no reservations” to have his vehicle checked “if there were any genuine reasons to do so,” the CLP leader lamented that the search was conducted “without any rhyme or reason.” He stated that the “credibility of the sate administration” needs to be “questioned.” “The intentions and motives of the state administration have been clearly demonstrated that there exists a nexus between the helpless administration and the party in power,” he alleged. “Perhaps they presumed that I would have been in possession of illegal arms and ammunitions and money like the NPF Party leaders,” Tokheho added.
The CLP leader, while expressing concern over the incident, urged the Election Observer and Nagaland Chief Election Officer to clarify on this issue.
