• Now only five town & municipal councils with nil nominations
• 245 nominations including 87 women received on Saturday
Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 7
On Saturday, the last day for filing of the nomination for the municipal and town council election scheduled on February 1, only three district headquarters namely Kohima, Mokokchung and Mon and two subdivisions- Medziphema and Changtongya remained with nil nominations.
Resistance by the respective tribal hohos and civil bodies at the three district headquarters was fortified with strict vigil by volunteers which ensured that no candidates reached the perimeter of the administrative offices ticked for the filing of nomination papers.
In Mokokchung district headquarter, Ao Senden volunteers with the traditional red shawl flocked around the administrative office to prevent candidates from filing nominations.
Normal life came to a standstill following a total bandh call by Angami Youth Organization (AYO) at Kohima, Medziphema and Chumukedima municipalities.
With 245 nominations, which include 87 women candidates filed from across the State, Saturday saw the highest number of candidates as compared to the last four days. From January 3 till the 6th, the nominations received day-wise were 13, 58, 84 &167 respectively. The total nominations filed from 27 municipal and town councils on Saturday stood at 567. These include 174 women.
Kiphire district headquarter which remained blank till Friday, opened doors for candidates on Saturday to file nominations after an undertaking with the United Sangtam Likhum Pumji that if the municipal and town council election in anyway hampers Article 371A of the Indian Constitution, they would resign en masse.
Consequently, 20 nominations were filed with 10 NPF, 8 Independent, 1 BJP, I Congress in the fray. There were 6 women candidates.
From Pfutsero, a subdivision under Phek district, 26 candidates including 13 women could finally file nomination. The breakups are 8 NPF, 7 Congress and 11 Independent. Besides the 4 reserved wards, two women are also contesting in the general category.
In Chumukedima, despite a bandh called by the AYO, 14 candidates which included 11 NPF and 3 Independent discreetly filed nominations. There were 7 women candidates. The Chumukedima Village Council in a press statement warned of strict action against the candidates.
Fifteen more candidates including 6 women filed nominations for the Dimapur Municipal Council. It includes 4 BJP, 7 Independent and 4 Congress. East Dimapur received 4 nominations which include 3 BJP and 1 Independent.
The Yimchunger Tribal Council (YTC) also gave green signal to allow the Shamator and Pungro town council elections while articulating hope that it will “bring rays of hope for development in the most neglected areas of Eastern Nagaland.” One Independent candidate filed nomination at Shamator while at Pungru there was 8 candidates including 5 women (1 NPF, 6 Independent and 1 BJP).
Peren town council received 7 nominations which include 4 Independent and 3 Congress. There were three women candidates. At Jalukie, 4 candidates (1 Independent, 2 Congress, 1 BJP) including a woman filed nominations. From Tening, 13 candidates filed nominations. They include 9 NPF, 1 Congress, 3 Independent. There were six women candidates.
From Phek, four more candidates filed nominations while from Tseminyu 1 BJP candidate made its presence felt. Chozuba and Meluri subdivisions received 19 nominations, which include 18 Independent, 1 NPF and four women candidates.
From Tobu, Tizit, Naginimora and Aboi subdivisions under Mon district, a total of 26 including 6 women filed nominations. At Tuli and Mangkolemba subdivisions under Mokokchung district, despite the diktat of excommunication looming overhead, there were 11 more nominations, which include 4 women candidates. The Zunheboto town council received 10 more nominations including 4 women. Apart from one candidate each from NPF and Congress, the rest were Independent. From Wokha town council, 1 Independent candidate filed nomination while Bhandari subdivision received 5 nominations, out of which 4 were women.
At Longleng town council, 17 nominations were received, which include 4 women. Party-wise, there were 1 NPF, 6 Congress, 1 BJP and 9 Independent candidates.
Meanwhile, the Chakhesang Public Organization (CPO) vice president Ariyi Nienu today claimed that 13 intending candidates who had filed nominations for election to Phek town council have taken an undertaking with CPO to withdraw their candidatures. He said the same for the rest of the candidates who filed nomination was in progress.
State EC extends date for filing nomination till Jan 9
KOHIMA, JANUARY 7 (MExN): The Nagaland State Election Commission on Saturday extended the period for filing of nominations to the municipal and town council election till January 9, 2017. The final date for filing of notification was on Saturday, January 7.
A notification issued by Sentiyanger Imchen, State Election Commissioner said the Nagaland State Government had requested for the extension of the date while stating that nominations could not be filed in a few municipal and town councils due to boycott of the process through obstructions, bandhs and other forms of threat and intimidation.
Therefore, to give another opportunity to the candidates who are willing to file their nominations the State Government had requested for extension of the period of filing nominations.
The State Election Commission said it examined the matter and based on the inputs received from the Returning Officers and District Administrations, found merit in the request made to the Commission.
The notification also informed that the extension of the date of filing of notification is applicable to those municipal and town councils where no nominations are received within the stipulated time, i.e, upto 3pm of January 7, 2017.
It further informed that the nominated candidates shall be posted after 3pm the same day and the schedule notified earlier will remain unchanged.
