ECI To 'Deliver Election' In Nagaland Despite Calls For Boycott, Naga Groups Say They Will Collaborate For Peace

The ECI said that the calls for boycott do not affect the political process.?

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said, "We will deliver the elections despite whatever calls there are and it doesn’t affect the political process."?

Kumar was speaking in Kohima in the presence of Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel.

The Naga civil societies have been demanding solution to vexed Naga Political Issue before the conduct of the state election while the Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation (ENPO) have declared not to participate in the election process unless their demand for a separate state composed of the six eastern districts are fulfilled.

Kumar said the Constitution clearly provides and mandates the ECI that the elected government has to be in place before the end of the term of the present Assembly and if it does not happen, it possesses different kinds of problems.

"ECI is mandated under the Constitution to conduct elections and declare results to put the duly elected government in place before the term of the present Assembly comes to end and we are duty bound to do that," said Kumar, adding that the term of the present Nagaland Assembly expires on March 12.

Asked about the dates for the Nagaland election, Kumar said that the ECI is taking feedback from the three states of Northeast –Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland- and as per process they will go back and hold another meeting and announce the dates.

On the demand from political parties to do away with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and use ballot papers, Kumar said there is no way to go back even technologically. In this, he informed that the political parties and candidates can send their representatives to monitor the places where the EVMs will be kept which will also be under 24x7 CCTV surveillance and also three-tier security.?

Kumar asserted that the ECI is committed to conduct of free, fair, and participative elections through involvement in all processes from roll to poll and counting. He asked the electorates of Nagaland to participate proactively in the ensuing state assembly elections truly in a mood of a festival of democracy.

In a separate development, the NSCN-IM and Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) on Saturday declared their unconditional commitment to collaborate for the resolution of the Naga political issue with the Government of India.

The declaration comes after four months of signing the September Joint Accordant between the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) and the NNPGs comprising of at least seven Naga groups, which have been engaged in separate dialogue with the Centre for a solution to the vexed Naga Political Issue (NPI).

Since the "September Joint Accordant" inked on September 14 the NNPGs and the NSCN-IM have agreed to form the "Council of Naga Relationships and Cooperation" led by the convener of NNPGs and the chairman of NSCN, to explore, at the earliest, realistic ways for Nagas to move forward on the basis of Naga historical and political rights.

"In affirmation of this position, the NNPGs and the NSCN on this day declare our unconditional commitment to collaborate on the basis of our respective agreements, with immediate effect, for the resolution of the Naga historical and political rights with the Government of India," they said in the joint declaration.

Appended by NSCN-IM Chairman Q Tuccu and NNPG Convener N Kitovi Zhimomi, they also appealed to the Naga people to stand with them to prevent any further division of the shared belonging.

"This statement is a political speech of the undeniable Naga soul," they said.

The joint statement was issued after a meeting facilitated by the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), a body which has been working for peace, reconciliation and coming together of the Naga groups, at an undisclosed location.

The Government of India has been holding separate dialogue with the NSCN-IM and the Working Committee of Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) since 1997 and 2017 respectively.

It inked the Framework Agreement with NSCN-IM in August 2015 and the Agreed Position with NNPGs in November 2017.

While NNPGs have agreed to accept a solution and continue the dialogue, the NSCN-IM has been rigid on its demand for a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas, which has been delaying a final solution to the decades-old negotiations.

(With PTI inputs)