Mokokchung, February 16 (MTNews): Following the January 31 judgment of the Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench, which quashed the resolution adopted by the Mongsenyimti Riongsanger Putu Menden and the Mongsenyimti Senso Mungdang to endorse former minister Tongpang Ozukum as the lone candidate from the village to contest for the 24-Angetyongpang Assembly Constituency seat in the upcoming Nagaland Legislative Assembly election, the Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung on February 7 issued an order to Mongsenyimti Riosanger Putu Menden (Village Council) and Mongsenyimti Senso Mungdang.
The DC stated in the order that the various resolutions/orders/directions/press releases issued by the Mongsenyimti Riosanger Putu Menden and Mongsenyimti Senso Mungdang on 28 December 2021, 1 June 2022, 7 October 2022, 19 October 2022, and 25 October 2022 were contrary to the spirit of free and fair election and also violates the statutory rights of the individuals of the Mongsenyimti village to participate/contest election on the basis of free-will.
The DC also added that the mentioned resolutions and orders have been found in violation of various standing notifications/instructions of the ECI and, therefore, are punishable under the sections 171C, 339 and 340 of IPC.
In this regard, the President Mongsenyimti Riosanger Putu Menden and President Mongsenyimti Senso Mungdang were directed to withdraw their resolutions/order/press releases and were asked to submit a compliance report to the DC office within seven working days from the date of issuance of the order. They were further asked to appear in the court of the District Magistrate, Mokokchung on February 15, 2023.
In response to the DC order, the Mongsenyimti Riosanger Putu Menden and President Mongsenyimti Senso Mungdang issued a representation stating that they have fully complied with the order and direction passed by the High Court . They also said that they are strictly complying with the High Court order as well as the law of the land. Further, the Mongsenyimti Riosanger Putu Menden and President Mongsenyimti Senso Mungdang also said that they have accepted the verdict given by the High Court on 31 January, 2023 and that the same is followed in letter and spirit and that there are no untoward incidents in the village.
However, the Mongsenyimti Riosanger Putu Menden and President Mongsenyimti Senso Mungdang stated that since the High Court in its January 31 Judgment finds “no reason to interfere with the resolution adopted in December 28 2021” and has also quashed the proclamation dated 1 June 2022, 19 October 2022, 23 October 2022 and 25 October 2022, all its aforementioned resolutions/press releases stand “inoperative and becomes null and void by operation of law and as such, the questions of withdrawing the resolution/press releases by another order would be meaningless.”
The Mongsenyimti Riosanger Putu Menden and President Mongsenyimti Senso Mungdang also mentioned that they have “fully complied” with the order and direction passed by the High Court and reasoned that any fresh order by any individual or authority beyond the findings of the High Court would be tantamount to go against the order and direction passed by the High Court.