Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Mar. 3: Despite clear instructions from the Election Commission of India (EC) announcing free passage for journalists into vote-counting stations, an official of the Dimapur district administration in Niuland sub-division appears to have missed the memo.
The additional deputy commissioner of Niuland Rosy M Atrhila on Mar. 3 not only stopped a reporter of Eastern Mirror from entering the counting station in Dimapur in a brazen contravention of the EC's directive but also ordered armed military personnel guarding the vicinity to restrict entry of everyone but the ‘deputy commissioner and government officials.’
The incident occurred at the counting station for Ghaspani-I when said officer ‘ordered’ the reporter to leave in the presences of the counting agents. The Eastern Mirror reporter was carrying valid documents—including an ECI-issued, authorized pass—that allowed entry as well as re-entry.
Reporters covering the vote-counting process were also made to keep their phones at the gate before entering the DC’s office. All reporters promptly obliged to this. When contacted, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Abhijit Sinha informed that the press personnel were allowed to carry their phones till the media station supposed to be situated outside the building where counting was taking place.
Such obvious cases of so-called ‘miscommunication’ between election officials and state government officials have more often than not caused major obstacles to journalists covering important events. The use of armed military personnel to intimidate journalists—as was the case here—only makes the matter worse.
