GUWAHATI: The Election Commission of India has summoned Mizoram chief electoral officer, SB Shashank to New Delhi on Thursday in regard to the current situation in the poll-bound state.
“Yes, I have been asked to meet the Election Commission of India (ECI) tomorrow morning in New Delhi to explain the entire situation in Mizoram,” Shashank told a section of media after the conclusion of a meeting with a visiting ECI delegation to Aizawl on Wednesday.
The CEO further said that the instructions given by the ECI in Delhi would be binding upon him as an “officer and a civil servant” and that the commission would look into each and every aspect before making an assessment.
“I am absolutely clear about my duties and responsibilities. I have my allegiance to Constitution of India…Election is the backbone of democracy…so we will work for every citizen who has the right to vote and that is my duty and responsibility and I will see that it is done,” Shashank said.
Apart from the CEO, the chief secretary, members of the district administration were present in the meeting even as the All NGO Coordination Committee, an umbrella organisation of major civil societies, staged a sit-in demonstration for the second consecutive day, demanding the “exit” of Shashank from Mizoram.
On Tuesday, thousands of protesters, comprising men, women and student association members, held placards and shouted slogans demanding immediate removal of Shashank for his alleged “divisive” style of functioning even as the deadline set for his ouster by the organisation expired on November 5.
The NGOs, led by the influential Young Mizo Association (YMA), had sought Shashank’s exit in the wake of the Election Commission (EC) removing the principal secretary (home) Lalnunmawia Chuaungo after the CEO had reportedly complained of “direct interference” by the state government in preparation for the November 28 Assembly polls.
The protesters also scheduled to present their charter of demands before the visiting ECI delegation on Wednesday afternoon.
“He (Shashank) has to go because under his leadership, there can be no free and fair elections in Mizoram. He is creating a rift in the society and we no longer have faith in him. Till he is removed, this protest will continue.” YMA president, Vanlalruata had told The Shillong Times.
Chief minister, Lal Thanhawla too had on Monday written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the removal of the CEO as “people had lost faith in him.”
The protesters alleged that the CEO had hurt the sentiments of the Mizo people by his “pro-Bru” stance for conducting the elections.
Shashank had reportedly accused Lalnunmawia of making an objection to facilitate voting in the upcoming state elections for Bru refugees in Tripura, who had fled Mizoram for almost 22 years following ethnic clashes. The Election Commission thereafter responded with a transfer order for Lalnunmawia and barred him from work related to the government till the elections were over.
The transfer order, however, did not go down well with the civil societies in the state, triggering the CEO ouster call.
Mizoram goes to the Assembly polls on November 28.