KOHIMA, May 19: The Nagaland State Election Commission has appealed to the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO) to reconsider its decision of abstaining from the urban local bodies (ULB) elections in Nagaland.
The commission said that it was drawn to a news item concerning ENPO’s decision to abstain from participating in the Nagaland ULB elections.
While the commission said it is cognizant of the stated context of the issue surrounding the ENPO’s stand, “it is of the view that the method adopted to express their stand on collective abstention from participating in the ULB elections needs a reasoned reconsideration”, the commission said.
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It said that voting was a constitutional right for every eligible citizen. The option of not to vote was an understood extension of the right, the commission also said. This right however, needed to be understood in the light of individual freedom and choice. Voting per se was singular, based on the principle of one person one vote; it was not a collective instrument.
The matter of ULB elections in Nagaland has been under the supervision of the Supreme Court with notice of contempt issued to several entities in the state and that any attempt to disturb or disrupt the electoral process by any individual or organisation in violation of the court orders would have serious legal ramifications, the commission also said.
The commission further pointed out that the constitution of Urban Local Bodies like the Municipal and Town Councils in the state through the participation of the local community in the electoral process was an essential requirement for incorporating the common aspirations and grievances of the local populace as was reflected in the development and progress of the municipalities.
The commission also said that it was committed to holding free and fair elections to all the Municipal and Town Councils in the state as had been notified on April 29. It is hoped that through these elections, the people in the municipality areas would be able to freely and willingly participate in exercising the constitutional right to vote and/or to contest as was deemed necessary to discharge the vital functions of local self-governance.
The Election Commission has appealed to the ENPO to reconsider its stance of asking citizens to abstain from participating in the ongoing ULB elections. Meanwhile, it would ensure that all polling processes would continue as per the election schedule. (NNN)
