Dimapur, April 1 (MExN): The Government of Nagaland has requested the Election Commission of India to either postpone or ‘prepone’ (schedule to earlier date) the date for bypolls to the 26-Aonglenden assembly constituency under Mokokchung. The government said in an official letter to the ECI that May 8, the date of the polls, falls on a Sunday and that it is a sacred date for Christians.
The state has requested the ECI to schedule it to a day earlier, Saturday May 7. Chief Secretary of Nagaland Lalthara today issued a copy of an official letter addressed to Yashvir Singh, Director of the Election Commission of India.
“As per the schedule, the date of poll, namely 08.05.2011 falls on Sunday. After a hurried consultation with the chief minister, the Home minister and the CEO, Nagaland, it has been decided by the state government to seek either preponement (sic) or postponement of the date of poll by one day so that the date of poll does not fall on Sunday,” the letter from the government to the ECI stated.
“This is done considering the fact that Nagaland is predominantly a Christian State, and that almost cent percent of the officials to be engaged for the election and the electorate of 26-Aonglenden A/C are Christians.”
Conducting election on Sunday will severely interfere with the Sunday church services of the people, the letter said. To not hurt the religious sentiments of the electorate of 26-Aonglenden A/C and officials to be engaged in the bye-election, the letter said, the government has proposed that the date of poll in the case of 26-Aonglenden A/C may be “preponed” (scheduled to earlier date) by one day. The suggestion of the state government is May 7, 2011, a Saturday.
“The second option is to postpone the date of poll by one day, and fix it on 9-05-2011 (Monday). However, from the point of view of the State Government, the first preference is 7-05-2011,” the letter added.
The state has requested the ECI to schedule it to a day earlier, Saturday May 7. Chief Secretary of Nagaland Lalthara today issued a copy of an official letter addressed to Yashvir Singh, Director of the Election Commission of India.
“As per the schedule, the date of poll, namely 08.05.2011 falls on Sunday. After a hurried consultation with the chief minister, the Home minister and the CEO, Nagaland, it has been decided by the state government to seek either preponement (sic) or postponement of the date of poll by one day so that the date of poll does not fall on Sunday,” the letter from the government to the ECI stated.
“This is done considering the fact that Nagaland is predominantly a Christian State, and that almost cent percent of the officials to be engaged for the election and the electorate of 26-Aonglenden A/C are Christians.”
Conducting election on Sunday will severely interfere with the Sunday church services of the people, the letter said. To not hurt the religious sentiments of the electorate of 26-Aonglenden A/C and officials to be engaged in the bye-election, the letter said, the government has proposed that the date of poll in the case of 26-Aonglenden A/C may be “preponed” (scheduled to earlier date) by one day. The suggestion of the state government is May 7, 2011, a Saturday.
“The second option is to postpone the date of poll by one day, and fix it on 9-05-2011 (Monday). However, from the point of view of the State Government, the first preference is 7-05-2011,” the letter added.
