Following the declaration of the recent ULB election, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC), led by Sangtemla INC Candidate I Temsu Jamir, held a press conference today highlighting discrepancies and injustices encountered during the counting process.
The Congress raised two main points. In Sangtemla Ward, there were two polling stations – PS I and PS II – where one ballot vote exceeded the recorded number of votes in PS I, and two votes were fewer than the recorded number in PS II.
According to the party, six polling agents, together with presiding officers, recorded 621 ballot votes in PS I, but one extra vote was found during the counting. Similarly, in PS II, 634 ballot votes were recorded, but the count revealed two votes less.
Following this, on the counting day, the Congress party met with the Returning Officer, who advised them to write a complaint letter. The Congress party alleged that while they were drafting the complaint letter, the election result was declared.
When inquired why the results were declared when there is an ongoing issue, the Returning Officer explained that the result was declared based on a notification passed by the State Election Commission on June 27, 2024. The notification stated that even if the ballot had extra or fewer votes, the results should be declared. Therefore, the results were announced accordingly.
The Congress party stated that they would seek legal advice and pursue the case legally. They also claimed that the result was declared without obtaining the signatures of their party’s polling agents on Form 17 and Form 23 and that the serial number booklet was not provided to them. When inquired, the presiding officer reportedly said it was not important.
Additionally, the Congress party claimed that the ballot box in PS II was not sealed with a wax seal. Upon inquiry, they were told it was not mandatory and that no instructions regarding this were received from higher authorities.
Furthermore, the Congress party claimed that the result was declared without authentication from the INC Candidate and Independent Candidate Alemtuba as well as their respective counting agents.
Independent Candidate Alemtuba Pongen also reiterated these concerns when questioned by media personnel.
Mokokchung DCC President Watimongba Aier, INC Candidate I Temsu Jamir, NPCC Youth General Secretary Sanglipong, and Limanaro Pongen, Polling Agent for Sangtemla PS II were present in the press conference.