Mokokchung, 18 April (MTNews): The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Nagaland has issued a stern warning to S Supongmeren Jamir, the Congress candidate for the Nagaland Parliamentary Constituency, in response to a complaint alleging a breach of electoral conduct.
The complaint, lodged by Imchainba, President of the BJP Dimapur District, and received on 17 April 2024, was forwarded to the Election Commission of India. It pertained to letters allegedly penned by Jamir and addressed to local councils. The letters were said to contain appeals of a religious nature, warning against the perceived consequences of voting for the incumbent BJP government.
Reports from the Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer of Dimapur confirmed that the letters bore genuine content expressing concerns about threats and persecution faced by religious minorities. They cautioned against potential implications of continued BJP governance and purported that the BJP and RSS were collaborating to homogenize India into a singular culture and religion. This was allegedly translated from the Ao language.
Citing provisions from the Representation of People Act, 1951, and the Model Code of Conduct, the Chief Electoral Officer emphasized that soliciting votes on religious grounds constitutes a corrupt practice and contravenes established electoral norms. Such appeals were also deemed to exacerbate existing societal divisions, violating the prescribed conduct guidelines.
⚠️ Nagaland CEO issues warning to Congress candidate for alleged breach of electoral conduct. 🚫 Soliciting votes on religious grounds is deemed a corrupt practice. Let’s uphold fair and inclusive elections. 🗳️ #Nagaland #ElectionEthics
Warning issued by the Nagaland Chief Electoral Officer warns the Congress candidate on basic adherence to rules and regulations of the election. It is a case that will point out that electoral process must be whole, and dent in it leads to erosion in democratic values and a weakening of public trust in the systems. The timely response by the Chief Electoral Officer to such possible infractions thus sends a vital message that fairness and adherence to set regulations are central to affording the candidates a level playing field in the carrying out of the elections. Furthermore, each candidate and political party should be duly and therefore properly aware of these regulations and adhere to them as expected to steer clear of any errors that could have implications further within their campaign and wider democratic process.