[caption id="attachment_242897" align="aligncenter" width="500"]
LP Singh, center; and other officials discuss records during the last round of inspection of electoral expense accounts, on April in Kohima.[/caption]
Dimapur, April 8 (EMN): The campaigning period for the forthcoming parliamentary and constituency elections in Nagaland will conclude on the afternoon of April 9.
The establishment of the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Nagaland has stipulated the campaigning period for the elections to the 17th Lok Sabha for 2019 from 1-Nagaland parliamentary constituency; and the by-elections to the 26th Aonglenden assembly constituency seat.
The Monday, April 8, bulletin issued by the government’s publicity agency Information and Public Relations (IPR) stated a notification from CEO Abhijit Sinha.
The campaigning period shall conclude at 4:00 pm on April 9. ‘There is prohibition of public meetings during the period of forty eight hours ending with the hour fixed for conclusion of poll,’ the updates stated.
The authorities stated that no person shall convene, hold or attend, join or address any public meeting or procession in connection with an election; display to the public any election matter by means of cinematograph, television or other similar apparatus; propagate any election matter to the public by holding, or by arranging the holding of, any musical concert or any theatrical performance or any other entertainment or amusement with a view to attracting the members of the public.
“Any person who contravenes this provision shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both,” the updates stated.
The district election authorities and the police administration shall ensure that all political functionaries shall leave the constituency immediately after the campaign period is over, the updates stated.
‘However, the said restriction may not be insisted upon the office bearer of the political party who is in-charge of the state,’ the IPR stated.
‘Such office bearer of the political party shall declare his place of stay in the state headquarters and his movement during the period in question shall remain confined normally between his party office and place of his stay.’
Observer examines expenses
Expenditure Observer LP Singh, who has been assigned to monitor election expenses incurred by candidates for election to the Lok Sabha examined expenses of political candidates during the 3rd and the last round of inspection of accounts.
The official perused the accounts at the Commissioner's conference hall on April 8.
Other officials at the inspection were nodal officers for Election Expenditure Monitoring, Zuring Madeliang; and Vineet Kumar, the updates stated.
With this, the inspection of election expenses by the expenditure observer in every election in accordance with the Election Commission's instructions has come to an end, the IPR stated.
All the four contesting candidates furnished the details of expenses they incurred and placed before the expenditure observer for perusal, the IPR stated.
The returning officer for 26th Aonglenden assembly constituency in Mokokchung district, Abhinav Shivam has informed that no electoral campaigns can be carried out in the period of 48 hours ending with the hour fixed for the conclusion of the polls.
The IPR stated the political functionaries and party workers including campaign functionaries from outside the constituency and who are not voters of the constituency have been directed not to remain in the area after the campaign period is over.
The election authorities have asked all in concern to take note of the restrictions and ensure that no political functionary or party worker including “processions functionaries/campaign functionaries” etc., from outside the constituency and who are not voters of the constituency are to remain in the constituency from 4:00 pm of April 9 till the election is over.
[caption id="attachment_242898" align="alignright" width="300"]
[/caption]
The district administration of Wokha flagged off a “walk for ethical voting” on April 6 at Wokha town’s police point. The event was organised jointly by the Wokha district administration and the community’s apex tribal women’s organisation Lotha Eloe Hoho.
Addressing the community members was Wokha district’s election officer Dr. Manazir Jeelani Samoon.
“Lack of infrastructure in our state is due to absence of clean election,’ according to the IPR quoting Samoon. ‘We cannot blame only the government or the political parties... There is a need to introspect ourselves, whether to have prosperous future through observing ethical voting, or take inducement in cash and kind during election from the candidates or political parties and regret later...’
Samoon, also deputy commissioner of the district, urged the public to vote for the right candidate who can bring changes to the society and add to nation building.
Appealing to the citizens of Wokha district to go and cast the vote on April 11, the officer urged the gathering not to engage in ‘bogus voting or multiple voting,’ which is against ethical voting practices.
To check such malpractice, he said that the Election Commission has introduced various identity cards, instead of only the photo identity card, for voters to be able to exercise their franchise.
