‘Declare votes in 1034 polling stations as null and void or hold re-poll in those stations’
Our Correspondent
Kohima | April 23
Congress in Nagaland today stated that it will submit documentary evidence of malpractices during the Lok Sabha elections in Nagaland to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Talking to media persons here, INC candidate for Lok Sabha polls, K.V. Pusa, said the documentary evidence will be submitted to the Election Commission to either order re-polling in multiple places or countermand the elections which was marred by large scale-proxy voting and rigging.
According to the PTI, Pusa said the State Congress party has submitted a representation to the CEO Nagaland requesting him to declare elections in 1034 polling stations as null and void or hold re-poll in those polling stations. He also alleged that 48 polling stations in the State reportedly have polled hundred per cent while 986 polling stations had over 90 per cent voting.
“Such heavy turnout is ridiculous, as there were hardly handful of electorates who had come out to exercise their franchise in almost all the polling stations,” he said.
He said Congress party has already submitted a representation with some documentary evidence and proof to the Chief Electoral Officers and Returning Officer yesterday in Kohima. Before leaving for New Delhi to lodge a complaint before the ECI, Pusa urged the concerned authorities to take the matter seriously as it would affect the future generation of the State as well as due democratic process. He said the State Government had used all state machinery to win the election suppressing people’s right to their franchise.
Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president, S I Jamir, said the manner in which elections were conducted was unprecedented and undemocratic. “Whether the Election Commission accepts it or not, we are going to take up the issue with the ECI for our future generations and democratic process,” he said. Jamir also took a dig at village councils which passed resolutions in favour of political parties and candidates and cast vote for the entire populace of the villages. He maintained that such practices were against the democratic process which should be checked and stopped forthwith.
Pusa said under the current trend of democratic process there would be no accountability in Nagaland as people’s right has been snatched away by a handful of people. He said be it Congress or the NPF but winning an election through proxy and poll rigging would amount to a “proxy MP or MLA.”
He also questioned poll officials for not being able to perform their duty and for allowing large scale proxy voting and poll rigging. “Congress believes in one man, one vote but one man voting for whole family and village is done with impunity,” Pusa said.
The Congress candidate urged competent authorities to issue a suo-moto action to all poll stations which have polled 90 per cent and above so as to deter future malpractices. He said the State’s record of 88.57 per cent was due to poll rigging and proxy voting.
He said whether Naga villages were traditionally parliamentarian or of a chieftainship they have always been close to a system where individual freedom was cherished rather than despotism. “However it is unfortunate that our people in general failed to turn out to vote and taking advantage of the lacunae the polling booths throughout the State were taken over by a handful of stooges working for some politically motivated local elite,” he said.
“If the polling parties have been put under pressure to allow proxy voting or booth capturing has taken place, I want to ask them to come out in the open and defend the democratic process they represent with all audacity,” Pusa said.
Meanwhile, Pusa along with NPCC president and other senior Congress leaders will meet AICC president Sonia Gandhi during their visit to Delhi.
