Grassroots election dispute at Elumyo

Women take to the streets demanding govt intervention

Wokha, July 12 (MExN): The women of Elumyo Village, Wokha, have sought the intervention of the district administration on a matter related to election to the village council. According to a press release, the women of the village submitted a representation to the Wokha district administration following a silent protest at the Wokha Deputy Commissioner’s office on July 12.

The release stated that the representation was in connection to a “confrontation” that allegedly took place in the village on July 6 when elections to the village council was being conducted.  

The confrontation reportedly occurred between two groups of people supporting two different candidates vying for the post of the chairperson. As per the release, one group was carrying out a “democratic agitation” at the election venue in resentment against alleged fund irregularities detected by the Social Audit Committee and subsequent “unilateral decision of the GBs to conduct the VCC election at (a) different venue.” It reportedly led to a confrontation between the agitators and supporters of a rival candidate resulting in the injury of an unspecified number of people. 

The release claimed that calls for a General Meeting of the village to address the allegations of fund irregularities went unheeded.  As a result, “Serious discontentment arose within the village when the GBs decided to conduct the VCC election without considering and addressing the serious issues involving the larger interest of the community,” the release further claimed.  

Stating that conduct of elections “before addressing the issue will only aggravate only aggravate further discontentment and may even result in more damages both in terms of property and human life, the women sought intervention of the district administration.