In a shocking display of obscene ostentation, supporters of some newly elected representatives in the recently held Urban Local Body (ULB) elections in Dimapur were captured on video throwing cash notes to the public shortly after their victory. The video, which has since gone viral, shows the crowd scrambling to fetch the money, sparking widespread condemnation.
In one of the videos, party workers are seen standing on a building balcony, tossing handfuls of cash into a crowd of supporters gathered to celebrate the election victory. In another video, party workers are seen throwing money from the bed floor of a truck. As the money rains down, people are seen in the videos jostling and pushing each other to collect the notes, creating a chaotic scene.
As the videos went viral, many condemned the act, terming it inappropriate.
“Need we say more on why Christian-dominated Nagaland is considered one of the most corrupt states?” said Allen, a resident of Mokokchung.
“Alartem! Ayatai! (Slaves! Woe be unto you!),” added another following the video.
“Even if there is enough wealth, such behaviour is despicable and disgusting. We need to think and live about such behaviour because, at the end of the day, we all live for God,” added T Meren Jamir.
Political analysts warn that such behaviour could erode public trust in elected officials and set a dangerous precedent for future conduct.
“This kind of spectacle can be seen as an abuse of power and a blatant disregard for ethical standards,” said a political commentator. Legal experts also suggest that the act could be investigated for possible violations of electoral conduct rules.
The behaviour also falls under the purview of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, specifically Section 123. While Section 123 primarily focuses on conduct before and during elections, the spirit of the Act aims to maintain the integrity of the entire electoral process. Therefore, distributing money after winning an election could be scrutinized if it is perceived as a reward for voting behavior or an attempt to influence future elections. Whether such post-election conduct would definitively constitute a violation of Section 123 would depend on the specific circumstances, intent, and interpretation by legal authorities.
Kahuto Chishi called for an investigation, stating, “Since assets are disproportionate to known sources of income, if they are spending money like that, it calls for an investigation because disproportionate wealth to their source of income means they are stealing from somewhere and are liable to be prosecuted. This applies to all the Naga people.”
He added, “For instance, if you are a peon and you have crores of rupees, that means you have stolen from somewhere. Although we may be exempt from income tax, it does not mean we are exempt from theft or economic crimes.'”
Chishi further explained that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) may also act on a complaint against any person alleged to have wealth disproportionate to their known source of income. The income tax department will then investigate the case and file suitable charges according to the source of the undisclosed income.
The Rising Peoples’ Party (RPP) through a press release also called out the “ugly” celebrations of the party workers post-election results and urged the NDPP- BJP coalition to condemn the act.
“Videos of Mammonistic celebrations involving Christians throwing money of various denominations from an open vehicle and a balcony being circulated in social media are highly condemnable.
Such vulgar and shameless celebrations by the NDPP party workers of Wards 10 and 20, Dimapur, is unheard of in our culture and alien to our ethos,” stated the RPP.
In India, distributing money after election results have been declared can potentially lead to legal consequences under various laws, primarily the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RPA) and the erstwhile Indian Penal Code now Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The State Election Commission has yet to comment on the matter. Past statements from election officials indicate that expenses on such celebrations should be accounted for by candidates under election laws. For instance, in 2011, P Seetharaman, who was a District Electoral Officer and Collector at that time, said that expenses incurred on victory celebrations of candidates winning the Assembly elections will also be credited to their respective poll accounts. That is, the money spent by the successful candidates on throwing parties or hosting feasts, bursting firecrackers and taking out victory rallies would also be accounted for.