Our Correspondent
Kohima | September 24
The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) today sought the intervention of the Election Commission of India (ECI) into the proposal of BJP to paint its election symbol (Lotus) in polling stations across Nagaland.
In a representation to the ECI submitted through the Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland, today, NPCC Vice President Khriedi Theünuo apprised the ECI on the Nagaland BJP President office order dated September 18 stating that “In the interest of the Party as per the direction of the Central Headquarters, all the 12 BJP legislators are advised to direct their respective Mandal Presidents to paint the Party symbol (Lotus) in all the polling stations, five each in every polling station, within their respective constituencies. This office order shall come into force with immediate effect and the same must be strictly complied before October 5, 2018.”
In this, Theünuo said, “the election guidelines states that there should be no political party office within 200 meter of a polling station.”
In such case, he said the BJP Nagaland President issuing directive to the State BJP legislators to paint the party symbol in all polling stations within their respective constituencies is a clear violation of the election guidelines.
It also amounts to defacement of public properties as most of the polling stations in the state are located in schools (government or aided) and other government or semi-government institutions.
Theünuo urged upon the ECI to direct the State District Election Officers, responsible for the provision of polling stations and the publication of the list of polling stations to immediately act on the said directive and not to include polling stations which are painted with BJP symbol in the list of polling stations in the larger interest of conducting free and fair election.
