Voting turnout in six districts of Nagaland has been extremely low today as the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) urged for a boycott of the election, demanding a separate administration with greater financial autonomy. The Chief Election Officer of Nagaland issued a notice to the ENPO for disrupting the electoral process.
The official stated that the group attempted to exert undue influence by impeding the free exercise of voting rights in the Eastern Nagaland areas. The ENPO has been directed to explain why action under the subsection of Section 171C of the Indian Penal Code should not be taken.
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In response, the ENPO clarified that their primary aim was to prevent disturbances in the Eastern Nagaland region and mitigate the risk associated with gatherings of anti-social elements. They emphasized that the declaration of Public Emergency in the region was made after consultations with stakeholders.
The ENPO argued that as the shutdown was a voluntary initiative by the people, there was no coercion or enforcement involved. They expressed readiness to cooperate with the Election Commission to address any misunderstanding or misinterpretation.
On March 30, the ENPO held discussions with 20 MLAs and other organizations, reaffirming their decision to abstain from the Lok Sabha election. Despite the Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union’s request to reconsider, the ENPO informed the Election Commission of India about their decision not to participate in the election. They asserted that their decision reflects the sentiments and aspirations of the people and is not a defiance of democracy.
#WATCH | Nagaland minister Temjen Imna Along says “Today is a very important day for Nagaland and the entire country as the first phase of voting for Lok Sabha elections has started today. Every citizen should vote to make our nation into ‘Viksit Bharat’ under the leadership of… pic.twitter.com/YYkt5SEn3N
— ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2024
