Mokokchung | May 12 : Even as counting of votes for the 26-Aonglenden Assembly Constituency bye-election will commence at Mokokchung town hall tomorrow from 8: 00 am onward, the word seems to be out all across Nagaland and beyond that veteran politician and former Chief Minister SC Jamir is heading for defeat at the hands of ruling NPF candidate Toshipokba Longkumer. However there is also a theory that Jamir has won a huge number of ‘sympathy votes’. The other permutation is that in the case of the NPF winning the bye-election, the winning margin will be more than 2000 votes and in the case of Congress winning the election, it will be a matter of less than a hundred votes. An NPF official is however confident that they will get a landslide victory while the Congress camp conveyed that they have not lost confidence. On the whole though, the NPF seems to have done a better ‘job’.
All eyes will now be in the counting of votes and the district administration has informed that all arrangements have been made to hold the counting smoothly. Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants who are to assist the Returning Officer in the counting of votes were imparted training today, it was informed. Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer, Lithrongla G. Chishi issued an order restricting entry into counting hall on the occasion.
She said entry will be permitted to counting supervisors and counting assistants, persons authorized by Election commission, public servants on duty in connection with the election and candidates, their election agents and counting agents only. No security personnel accompanying the candidates or their agents will be permitted to enter the counting hall. The RO further informed all concerned to be seated inside the counting hall by 7:30 am.
Meanwhile, the obvious debate going around in Mokokchung ahead of the poll results is on the claims of the NPF and also the Nagaland Election Commission that the 26 Aonglenden A/C bye-election was held in a “free and fair” manner and counter claims by the Congress that it was not so. The general consensus seems to be that the bye-election was “comparatively more peaceful” than other times. It may be mentioned that the apex frontal organizations Ao Senden and AKM had prior to the bye-election called upon all concerned to conduct the polls in a peaceful and in a free and fair manner.
AKM president Akok Longkumer told this correspondent that the AKM had during its general conference held at Ungma in February 2011 resolved to endeavour for peaceful conduct of elections in Mokokchung. However, it is admitted by all that there were stray incidents of violence during the bye-polls, particularly at Arkong Ward polling station. The Congress has alleged that NPF workers from the State Home Minister’s assembly constituency, Koridang, arrived in huge numbers and ‘captured the polling booths at Arkong’. On this regard, both the apex organizations appeared to be guarded.
However, both Ao Senden and AKM on observing the manner in which the bye-polls were conducted suggested several ideas in order to ensure proper electioneering in the future. Ao Senden president suggested that Voters’ Photo Identity Card be issued to every voter. He also added that such an exercise would not be a herculean task in a state like Nagaland with a population of not more than 20,00,000. The AKM also believed that ‘use of money’ during elections should be discouraged. There are reports coming in from various polling stations that there were rampant proxy voting, ‘silent vote rigging’ and ‘booth gate capturing’ during the just held bye-election at Aonglenden assembly constituency.
All eyes will now be in the counting of votes and the district administration has informed that all arrangements have been made to hold the counting smoothly. Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants who are to assist the Returning Officer in the counting of votes were imparted training today, it was informed. Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer, Lithrongla G. Chishi issued an order restricting entry into counting hall on the occasion.
She said entry will be permitted to counting supervisors and counting assistants, persons authorized by Election commission, public servants on duty in connection with the election and candidates, their election agents and counting agents only. No security personnel accompanying the candidates or their agents will be permitted to enter the counting hall. The RO further informed all concerned to be seated inside the counting hall by 7:30 am.
Meanwhile, the obvious debate going around in Mokokchung ahead of the poll results is on the claims of the NPF and also the Nagaland Election Commission that the 26 Aonglenden A/C bye-election was held in a “free and fair” manner and counter claims by the Congress that it was not so. The general consensus seems to be that the bye-election was “comparatively more peaceful” than other times. It may be mentioned that the apex frontal organizations Ao Senden and AKM had prior to the bye-election called upon all concerned to conduct the polls in a peaceful and in a free and fair manner.
AKM president Akok Longkumer told this correspondent that the AKM had during its general conference held at Ungma in February 2011 resolved to endeavour for peaceful conduct of elections in Mokokchung. However, it is admitted by all that there were stray incidents of violence during the bye-polls, particularly at Arkong Ward polling station. The Congress has alleged that NPF workers from the State Home Minister’s assembly constituency, Koridang, arrived in huge numbers and ‘captured the polling booths at Arkong’. On this regard, both the apex organizations appeared to be guarded.
However, both Ao Senden and AKM on observing the manner in which the bye-polls were conducted suggested several ideas in order to ensure proper electioneering in the future. Ao Senden president suggested that Voters’ Photo Identity Card be issued to every voter. He also added that such an exercise would not be a herculean task in a state like Nagaland with a population of not more than 20,00,000. The AKM also believed that ‘use of money’ during elections should be discouraged. There are reports coming in from various polling stations that there were rampant proxy voting, ‘silent vote rigging’ and ‘booth gate capturing’ during the just held bye-election at Aonglenden assembly constituency.
