A group of young voters in queue during the 2018 General Election held in Nagaland. (Morung File Photo)
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Allia Tzudir
Dimapur | January 28
Every state and country needs good leadership to bring change into the state of affairs. Every leader makes promises but only a few keep them. Election is one such process where the votes of the citizen matters in order to choose the right leader that would bring positive changes, development and impact on the people, state and country.
Younger voters form a large voting bloc. During 2018 elections, over 1.87 lakh registered voters were in the 18-25 years age group, while some can be included in over 4.97 lakh electors in the 26-40 years cohort.
According to the final electoral roll published by the State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) with January 1, 2023 as the qualifying date, Nagaland has total number of 24,689 enrolments of young voters who attained the age of 18 years between January 2, 2022 and January 1, 2023.
From the less enthusiastic to those who feel it as a civic duty, young people in Nagaland have varying opinions on the State’s electoral process.
Challenges to the electoral process
“Yes I do participate in election. It is very important to vote because we need good leader to lead us and to hear our voice,” said Zakali Achumi, a graduate student based in Mokokchung.
While a few are “satisfied with the election process as individuals have the right to choose their own leaders who will hold the office on their behalf,” many find that “election funding is very much found in Nagaland which is the root cause of corruption.”
“This election process in the state is no doubt all about money, corruption and divides people, friends and families,” commented Menuhole, a post graduate student from Kohima.
The fear of violence, breakdown of law and order and the role that money plays in the electoral process are deterrents for many young people.
“It is very difficult to cast a vote for whom we should select because of cruelty and conflict among the two parties, many people used to get injured and therefore faced difficulties to cast vote safely,” said Takatemshi, a post graduate student.
Disputes even within families often come up when it comes to candidates, observed some young people, especially when a candidate happens to be anyone from their family, a close relative, friends, etc. Another issue they brought up was how the tense situation during election affects the normal functioning of educational institutions.
Toli Achumi, a 6th semester student based in Mokokchung suggests that “the process of election can be better through unity and brotherhood in a state full of malpractices.”
For Nancy, a BA 6th semester student, “The exploitation of poor people and their votes through money influence; long queue to wait for your turn to vote” are also some factors that prevent her from taking part.
Ideologies youth looks for in their candidates
“While choosing a candidate, the ideology which I look for is the strategy and agenda which the candidate provides but at the same time it is important to check which candidate can fulfil the promises he makes for the society,” said Tinurepla, an active voter and a self employed student based in Dimapur.
An ideal candidate who has a clear vision for the next five years, someone who possess a quality that stands out from other regular candidates by keeping in touch with their people, who promotes peace and one who keeps their promises and their agendas by being loyal to their party and the state is what young people look for while choosing their candidates.
Views on selling and buying of votes
“I definitely think it is wrong to sell/buy votes. I think it is one of the reasons for corruption occurring in our state and I don’t think that problem will be solved anytime soon in Nagaland,” commented a final year student based in Dimapur.
Youths believe that vote buying is rarely an isolated action. We are given the right to vote and select the right candidate but we enforce others to buy and sell votes for money which perpetuates corruptions. Most young people strongly oppose the idea of selling and buying votes as it is the root cause of corruption in Nagaland and people now days are blinded by money that they end up voting for the wrong candidate.
They want the people of the state to know how precious ones’ vote is as one vote can change the whole system hence, voters should regard such actions and willingness to use illegal means. This negative act of selling and buying votes also shows how elections are disorderly conducted in the state.
The writer is a student of BA-Communication English in Jyoti Nivas Autonomous College, Bengaluru. She is currently an intern in The Morung Express.
This is the first of a two-part series.
