GUWAHATI: Amid the restrained and sober electioneering in the frontier state of Mizoram that goes to polls on Wednesday, a Church-backed social forum called Mizoram People’s Forum (MPF) stands out an a unique entity in the entire poll scene for its untiring efforts since its inception in 2006 to facilitate free and fair election in the hill state.
MPF which came into being in 2006, is one of its kind forum in the entire country. Nowhere else in the country an NGO with support of people and the Church has ventured into such a difficult mission of preventing violation of model code on conduct during polls.
The MPF makes all the political parties and candidates contesting polls in Mizoram to sign agreement in dotted lines to facilitate free and fair election. It also works in tandem with the Election Commission of India (ECI) at local and state levels to enforce model code of conduct.
“We conduct political education and awareness campaign, organise seminars for the people of Mizoram under the aegis of the Church to make them aware of the way the political parties and the poll candidates should carry themselves during an election without violating laid down norms in the interest of holding free and fair election,” an MPF leader said.
In case of minor violations of some clauses of the partnership agreement on some occasions, the MPF do take action and the same declare in the concerned constituency and also in the state level through the media to let common people know about it.
Sometimes the MPF faces minor hiccups in ensuring total adherence to the poll code of conduct or the clauses of agreement signed with political parties.
For example, poll candidates and parties are barred from holding feast for the community or providing any help in cash or kind. However, parties sometimes organise feasts saying that those are meant for party workers, not the community.
As per agreement signed with the political parties, once the elections are declared in Mizoram the MPF doesn’t allow political parties to hold any joint platform. A state-level joint platform may be organized if it is deemed necessary by the MPF.
If a political party wishes to conduct a public meeting it should be conducted under the guidance of the MPF.
If delegates from outside come for campaigning for Mizoram polls, the public meeting should be conducted under the guidance of the MPF.
The MPF prescribes the amount of publicity materials like flexes, banners, posters are to be used by respective poll candidates and political parties in a particular constituency/ village depending on the size of the area and population.