Even as the Monsoon Session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) got underway, both the Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Leader of the Opposition I. Imkong continue to remain under a cloud of uncertainty with regard to their respective seats as MLAs in the NLA following the trial under the Election Commission of India with regard to the Office of Profit controversy. Whatever the NPF or the Congress may say or do in order to defend their respective two leaders, the present situation with both a Chief Minister and the Leader of Opposition of Nagaland now under trial of a constitutional body, even the possibility of their disqualification cannot be ruled out at this juncture. As such with the EC already having tendered its opinion on Imkong (though yet to be made public) and Nirvachan Sadan now summoning Rio for a hearing on August 25, the people of Nagaland are now faced with an embarrassing situation, courtesy to the political parties who remain solely responsible for the situation as it stands today.
On the other hand, it is quite unbecoming on the part of the political parties belonging to the DAN coalition trying to drag the office of the Governor into their circus. While the three political parties have now jumped to the conclusion that it is the constitutional duty of Raj Bhavan “to act forthwith” (at once), it will be interesting to actually find out whether the constitution enjoins on the constitutional head (including the office of the President), the duty to act hastily or rather to apply his mind. If indeed any order, bill or notification has been reserved for the Governor, it is expected that a reasonable time is given to study the matter. So the question of ‘forthwith’ and to do things hastily should not be encouraged by the political classes.
This is wherein lie the differential expectations between Raj Bhavan and the political parties raising the issue of in-competency of the Governor. One sees it as a matter requiring reasonable time while political parties, not surprisingly are the ‘fast and furious’ type known to speed up on the wrong end of the bend without actually knowing what is coming at them from the other end. Better sense should prevail over them and they should now wait for the constitutional head of the State to disclose the so called opinion or order as tendered by the EC. The Governor cannot runaway to Delhi with the EC opinion and he definitely cannot alter the opinion already tendered. The only reason for the delay could be that the matter could well require some form of clarification from the EC itself. As assured by the Special Secretary to the Governor, Mr Pankaj Kumar, it is hoped that Raj Bhavan will do the necessary in the next few days and make public the opinion of the Election Commission in the case of disqualification or otherwise of concerned MLA.
