•Meghalaya election on same day, Tripura polls on February 18
•ECI announcement made despite calls for ‘Solution before Election’
Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 18
Despite calls from several Naga organizations for the central government not to conduct polls in the state before the Naga issue is solved, the Election Commission of India (ECI) today announced that election to the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly will be held on February 27.
The polling schedules for two other northeastern states - Tripura and Meghalaya - are February 18 and 27 respectively.
“Counting of votes for all three states will be carried out on March 3,” announced Chief Election Commissioner AK Joti.
The Model Code of Conduct comes into effect in all three states from January 18.
The three 60-member Assemblies in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura are set to expire on March 6, 13 and 14 respectively.
According to an ECI press release, the Gazette notification for the election in Nagaland will be published on January 31. The filing of nominations for the election is till February 7. Scrutiny of nominations will be taken up the next day, on February 8. The last date for withdrawal of candidatures is February 12.
While the state goes to poll on February 27, the counting of votes will be done on March 3.
The election process in Nagaland will be completed by March 5, the ECI release informed.
2187 polling stations, 11, 89,264 electors
The number of polling stations in Nagaland stands at 2187, which is an 8.10% increase from the 2013 polls. Number of polling stations for Meghalaya and Tripura are 3082 and 3214 respectively.
As per the final electoral roll with January 10, 2018 as the qualifying date, there are 11, 89,264 electors in Nagaland, out of which 97.92% were covered by Photo Electoral Rolls and Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPIC). The figures for the same were 100% for both Meghalaya and Tripura.
The ECI has informed all residual electors advised to obtain their EPIC from the Electoral Registration Officers of their Assembly Constituencies urgently. Voter slip bearing the Photo of the elector (wherever present in the roll) will be distributed, at least 7 days before the date of poll to all enrolled voters by the District Election Officer.
Max expenditure limit per candidate is Rs 20 Lakhs
As per the revised ceilings, the maximum limit of election expenses for the Assembly Constituencies is Rs. 20 lakh per candidate for the states of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura. All candidates are required to furnish their accounts of expenditure within 30 days of declaration of results.
General Observers, Police Observers, Expenditure Observers and Micro Observers will be deployed in all the three states.
New IT apps to be used
New IT applications to be used for the forthcoming polls include SAMADHAN: Public Grievance Redressal and Complaint Monitoring System; SUVIDHA: Single Window Permission System; and SUGAM: Vehicle Management System.
Meanwhile, the ECI informed that Webcasting/CCTVs will be done at all polling stations. The ECI further informed that “all critical events will be video-graphed.” This includes filing of nomination papers and scrutiny thereof, allotment of symbols, First Level Checking, preparations and storage of Electronic Voting Machines, important public meetings, processions etc. during election campaign, process of dispatching of postal ballot papers, polling process in identified vulnerable polling stations, storage of polled EVMs and VVPATs, counting of votes etc. Additionally, CCTVs will be installed at important Border Check Posts and Static Check Points.
Security arrangements
In terms of law and order, security arrangements and deployment of forces, the ECI informed that based on the assessment of the ground situation, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and State Armed Police (SAP) drawn from other States will be deployed during these elections.
They will also be deployed in the Expenditure Sensitive Constituencies and other vulnerable areas and critical polling stations as per the assessment of ground realities by the CEO of the State, in consultation with the various stakeholders.
The ECI has also delivered instructions for the purpose of effective monitoring of the election expenditure of candidates. They include Flying Squads (FS), Static Surveillance Teams (SST), Video Surveillance Teams (VST), involvement of Investigation Directorates of Income Tax Deptt. etc.
The State Excise Departments and police authorities have been asked to monitor production, distribution, sale and storage of liquor and other intoxicants (including narcotics) during the election process. The functioning and operations of the Flying Squads/Mobile Teams shall be closely monitored using GPS Tracking.
Nagaland CEO calls for press conference today
DIMAPUR, JANUARY 18 (DIPR): Consequent upon the announcement of the election schedule to the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, 2018 by the Election Commission, the Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland has called for a press conference with all print and electronic Media of the state, including but not restricted to all English and vernacular dailies, AIR, DDK and others at 10:00 am on January 19. The venue of the press Conference is Dzukou Hall, Hotel Japfu, PR Hill, Kohima.
Civil society ponders next move
Morung Express News Dimapur | January 18 “We have made our position clear. We have apprised people to be prepared if elections are imposed.” Naga Hoho Assembly Secretary, Elu Ndang, said this while reacting to the announcement of elections to the Nagaland State legislative Assembly.
“We will come back home in a day or two and decide the further course of action,” said Ndang on behalf of the Naga Hoho team that is currently in New Delhi waiting for an appointment with the Prime Minister of India to apprise him about the Naga people’s call for a solution to the Indo-Naga issue over repeated State elections.
The Election Commission of India has declared polls to the Nagaland State Legislative Assembly to be conducted on February 27.
The Naga civil society has been crying hoarse over the need for a solution and no further elections to Nagaland State. “In Naga society, words of the people are supreme. All bodies, including students and churches, have spoken in favour of solution,” noted Ndang, hoping the Indo-Naga peace talks continue in the right direction despite elections. In this regard, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has also called for a rally on January 23.
“We will go ahead with the rally,” said NSF President, Christopher Ltu. Expressing surprise that the ECI has announced election dates “despite knowing the situation on the ground,” Ltu stated that the rally would just be the first phase, to be followed by other strategies to be made known soon.
The Nagaland Tribes Council will hold a meeting on January 19 to discuss the announcement of polls. “All Naga people want a solution over elections. Elections will not be suitable at this time,” said NTC President Toniho Yepthomi.
NTC General Secretary, Nribemo Ngullie, maintained that this is when we see how “sincere and honest people are towards solution.”
