DIMAPUR, JANUARY 9 (MExN):The Election Commission of India (ECI) has dismissed the case pertaining to the tussle in the Naga People’s Front (NPF) over the post of the party president. The ECI through an order issued on January 9 dismissed the case based on a petition filed by Neiphiu Rio before the Commission on December 11, 2017seeking to withdraw the petition filed by him under “Paragraph-15 of the Symbols Order.” The “petition” was filed by Rio on August 17, 2017 under para-15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order, 1968. Rio, in his December 11 petition, stated that he had officially resigned from the post of president of the NPF on December 8 taking into consideration “the evolving political situations…” “ln the circumstances, the undersigned may be permitted to withdraw the aforementioned case and an appropriate order may be passed in this regard,” Rio had stated in the withdrawal petition. In response, the ECI dismissed the case. “Accordingly, the petition filed by Shri Neiphiu Rio is hereby dismissed as withdrawn. The Party is directed to submit the authenticated list of office bearers of the party including the list of Central Executive Council members”, stated the January 9 ECI order. The ECI order also mentioned of Rio enclosing a copy of a communication addressed by him to TR Zeliang with a copy endorsed to Dr. Shurhozelie Lizietsu in which the latter was referred to as NPF president. “ln the said communication Sh. Rio has mentioned about lack of support to him within the party and stated that he was resigning from the post of President of the Party,” the ECI in the order stated. “Having considered the documents pertaining to the case and the application of Sh. Neiphiu Rio, the petitioner who filed the petition under paragraph 15 of the Symbols Order, the Commission has accepted the request of the petitioner to withdraw his petition pertaining to Naga People’s Front. The Commission has directed that the petition relating to dispute in Naga People’s Front be dismissed as withdrawn.”
