SHILLONG, Jan 28: The Voice of the People Party on Tuesday requested the state government to issue a general direction to all village headmen, Rangbah Shnongs, Sordar Shnongs, and Dorbars to refrain from taking any step that hinders the conduct of a free and fair election.
In a letter to the Commissioner and Secretary of the DCA Department, Shillong MP and VPP general secretary Ricky AJ Syngkon said that the decision of certain village headmen and other traditional body heads have illegitimately deprived the VPP and its candidates from organising public meetings.
“I would like to request you to kindly issue a general direction to all village headmen, Rangbah Shnongs, Sordar Shnongs, Dorbars to refrain from taking any step that hinders the conduct of a free and fair election requiring them to facilitate the political parties and candidates to organise their meetings by issuing no-objection certificate within a certain time frame from the time the application is received whether during the operation of the Model Code of Conduct or otherwise,” he wrote.
Highlighting instances of VPP candidates facing the problem of obtaining permission to hold public meetings or campaigns from the office of the village headmen, Rangbah Shnong, Sordar Shnong of Khasi and Jaintia Hills districts, he stated, “The permissions sought are either not given any consideration or given after a great delay, thereby affecting our campaigns. It has been experienced by our candidates that there are village dorbars that restrict public meetings other than the common platform organised by them.”
Stating that such actions have adversely impacted the fundamental rights, he said the members of the party – individually or collectively – have the right to exercise the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution under Article 19(1) such as freedom of speech and expression, freedom of peaceful assembly without arms, and freedom of movement throughout the territory of India.
He emphasised that candidates and political parties are important stakeholders in the electoral process.
“Not only that they have rights, but they also represent the opinions and political voices of voters. Free communication of information and ideas by voters, candidates and political parties is essential to genuine elections. To this end, everyone, including political parties, candidates, and their supporters, has the right to seek, receive, and impart ideas through any means of their choice including public meetings,” he said.
He cited the declaration on criteria for free and fair election unanimously adopted by the Inter-Parliamentary Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union at its 154th session on March 26, 1994, of which India is a party in Clause 3 of Article 3.
The VPP general secretary also highlighted the observation of Justice Swaminathan of the Madras High Court: “Without elections, there is no democracy. Unless there is free and effective campaigning, elections will be rendered a farce. The mate is under a constitutional obligation to ensure that this right is upheld at all costs and under any circumstance. The persons who attempt to restrain candidates and party cadre from exercising this right shall be dealt with an iron hand.”
