Kohima: With lots of appeals through advertisements on voters for ‘one person, one vote,’ appeals of Nagaland Baptist Church Council for ‘Clean Elections’ there were allegations of rampant proxy voting in a large number of Polling Stations throughout Nagaland.
The reporters visited various Polling Stations under Ghaspani-I, Dimapur-II and Dimapur- III, Polling Officials admitted helplessness in preventing blatant malpractices the family head or members insisted on voting on behalf of their respective families. A Presiding Officer confessed that ‘Gaon Burhas and Village Council members have already decided, whom to vote. It was already agreed among rival candidates not to make an issue of it.’
Even the Gaon Burhas and Village Council members took the stand that the’ head of the family voting for all members’ was the best method to avoid clashes.
There were allegations that some were even seen rubbing off the stain after casting their vote, some distributing cash and others distributing voter’s slips for proxy voting.
Amid tensions that prevailed in Dimapur, one Booth Level Officer, assigned for Dimapur-I Assembly Constituency at 17 Kevichusa colony was caught with the voters’ slip receipt register and four bottles of IMFL yesterday morning at Showuba village by Assam Rifles.
The Naga People’s Front under Atoizu Assembly Constituency under Zunheboto district has appealed to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Nagaland and the ECI to invalidate all votes cast in Shena New and Old villages, Usutomi and Zhevishe under Saptiqa area on account of booth capturing allegedly by GPRN/NSCN (Khole-Kitovi).
According to Khevukhu Kiba, the election agent of NPF candidate and sitting member and Minister Y Doshehe, the GPRN/NSCN did not allow public to exercise their franchise, but took control of the voting. He alleged that even the Polling Officials and Presiding Officers were helpless under threat.
He claimed that out of 601 votes in New Shena, NPF was given only 40 votes; in Old Shena, out of 1716 votes, the NPF candidate was given only 350 votes; in Usutomi out of 1046 votes, NPF was given only 150 while in Zhevishe, out of 299 votes, NPF was given only six votes.
He also alleged that the beneficiary, Independent candidate Picto Shohe had arrived at a written understanding with the GPRN/NSCN to ‘align with Congress in the formation of the Government.’ Further, Kiba also urged that if re-poll was ordered, adequate security should be enforced otherwise it would be meaningless.
The Congress candidate from Wokha Assembly Constituency has demanded re-poll in Wokha town, Wokha village, Longsa and surrounding areas alleging booth capturing and intimidation by rival parties. In a letter Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Nagaland, the Congress candidate E T Ezung alleged that Congress polling agents were not allowed to enter polling booths. (UNI)