10th April 2014

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Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 97

The Morung Express

www.morungexpress.com

Manisha’s life could be a movie soon

By Sandemo Ngullie

NH concerned over Ladiagarh situation KOHIMA, APRIL 9 (MExN): The Naga Hoho has expressed concern at the situation in Ladiagarh Village, under 49 Tamlu A/C, where Assam Police prevented polling to take place. A press note from the Hoho stated that this “is a blatant violation of the law of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and directive of the Supreme Court of India.” Naga Hoho made it clear that elections have been conducted in the said area even in the past and that Ladiagarh is “purely within the jurisdiction of Longleng District.” It questioned the “arbitrariness” of Assam Police and urged upon the Assam government to “maintain status quo as before and allow the ensuing election to take place smoothly.” It further appealed the ECI to “initiate immediately for peaceful polling at Ladiagarh under any circumstances, or else the ECI and Assam government shall be held responsible for any adverse consequence.”

BJP demands ECI action against Congress MLA

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MOKOKCHUNG, APRIL 9 (MExN): The BJP has written to the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding action against Congress MLA from 26 Aonglenden A/C, Imtikumzuk, for violation of the election code of conduct. The complaint, signed by BJP Mokokchung district president, Limawati, alleged that the MLA had made a speech “that amounts to inciting communalism and provoked hatred between Christians and Hindus,” at a rally in Ungma village on April 3. The BJP alleged that, in his speech, the MLA had “abused the word secularism in the Constitution of India and infused hatred between the two religions.” It reminded that the election code of conduct prohibits parties and candidates form indulging in any activity “which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different caste and communities, religious or linguistic.” BJP demanded that the ECI should issue a notice to the MLA. It further stated that the party has “taken a strong exception to his speech,” and strongly urged the Commission to take necessary action.

–Erma Bombeck

Saina crashes out of Singapore Open

[ PAGE 2]

Crackdown on crime in Kohima

[ PAGE 12]

[ PAGE 5]

nAgAlAnd stAte votes Proxy voting and

85.62% voter turnout for lone Nagaland seat in Lok Sabha

“I`m worried because 90 percent of the fools in our state voted for him.”

Lok Sabha Election 2014-Nagaland

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[ PAGE 8]

reflections

Thursday, April 10, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4

Dreams have only one owner at a time. That’s why dreamers are lonely

Modi touts record on economy in bid to lead India

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D I M A P U R / KO H I M A , APRIL 9 (AGENCIES): With the primary agenda of the Naga political issue, Nagaland wants to elect a representative to its lone Lok Sabha seat on April 9. By 10am, only 20.9% of the voter-populace had considered casting a vote, which by 2pm has swollen to 60%. By the end of the day, official estimates suggested that 85.62% of the electorate had cast its votes in Nagaland. Nagaland State Chief Minister and Naga People’s Front candidate Neiphiu Rio contested the polls against Congress candidate K.V. Pusa, and Socialist Party (India) candidate Akhei Achumi. Apart from Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Meghalaya voted in the second phase of the Indian elections on April 9. Two Lok Sabha seats in Meghalaya, the only Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland, one of the two Lok Sabha seats in Manipur and both the Lok Sabha seats in Arunachal Pradesh elected their Members of Parliament. Manipur registered 80% polling, while Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh registered 71% and 55% respectively. The voting in the four states marked the second phase of the country’s 10-phase poll that will see 814 million Indians exercise their franchise to elect 543 members to the Lok Sabha. The Commissioner Home and Returning Officer (RO), Parliamentary Elections, Nagaland, Temjen Toy, in a press conference at the Commissioner’s office stated that the polling for the 16th Lok Sabha

ePic confusion Morung Express News Dimapur | April 9

Naga voters stand in queue to cast their vote at a polling station during the second phase of Lok Sabha election in Dimapur, Nagaland on Wednesday, April 9. Photo by Caisii Mao

election in Nagaland began as scheduled at 7am and concluded peacefully at 4pm. He informed that out of 2059 polling stations in Nagaland, polling process could not be conducted at Ladaigarh under 149 Tamlu A/C due to denial of entry of polling parties into Ladaigarh by Assam police. He added that though the public has been restless about not going to polls with the rest of Nagaland, the general mood has been pacified and given assurance that Nagaland Election Commission will approach the Election Commission of India to fix another polling date for the particular constituency at the earliest. Ladaigarh polling station is located at the government lower primary school which has been occupied by Assam

Police since 2007 despite a Supreme Court order to maintain status quo. Temjen Toy also informed that malpractices were reduced reasonably in this Lok Sabha election due to introduction of webcasting and the presence of micro observers in polling stations. By the end of the polling process on April 9, the RO gave out the voter turnout figures in all the districts, which he said could be subject to change. The highest voter turn-out was registered at Kiphire with 95.83% while the lowest was recorded at 72.74% in Tuensang, according to the officer’s estimates. The rest of the districts recorded voter turn-out percentages as follows: Dimapur- 79.90; Kohima- 81.33; Peren- 82.04;

Pughoboto- 93.61; Phek91.53; Mokokchung- 89.89; Zunheboto- 78.53; Wokha- 81; Mon- 79.22 and Longleng- 90. The provisional voter turn-out percentage for the 2014 Lok Sabha election in Nagaland is 85.62%. In all, 1,182,903 voters including 581,758 women were eligible to cast their ballots at 2,059 polling stations in Nagaland. Thirty-three companies of paramilitary forces were deployed to ensure peaceful polling. Over 12,000 polling personnel were engaged in the balloting process. The poll panel also appointed four central observers. This was the first time that Nagaland webcast poll proceedings in 84 polling stations. Counting of votes will happen on May 16. Related news on page 2, 5

Lukewarm response, proxy voting and confusion marked the polling process in Dimapur. Despite the State election office tipping the poll percentage in the mid 80’s, the long queues normally witnessed on election days were absent, particularly in Dimapur. Reports coming in from various parts of Nagaland, throughout the polling period, painted a picture of sparsely populated polling stations, while security personnel and polling officials had a rather slow day. In Dimapur, crowds thinned at polling stations by late morning, while some polling stations reported less than 50 percent of votes cast even by afternoon. At one polling booth falling under 1 Dimapur I Assembly Constituency, with an electorate of around 170, the Presiding Officer informed visiting media persons that only 70 votes had been cast by around 1:00pm. At another, around the same time, only 50 percent of the total votes had been cast. Watching the proceedings, streamed live via webcam from selected polling stations across the State, officials on duty appeared relaxed as voters came in to vote at intervals. Coming to free and fair elections, hope was revived when the Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) was introduced. Several incidences of bonafide electors not getting the opportunity to vote were reported, the Right to Adult Franchise lost to proxy voting. “I feel angry and violated since I have been denied my right to vote. I reached the polling station only to learn that someone else had

already snatched that privilege from me. And to say I had the EPIC with me all along,” summed up Moarenla Imchen, a teacher by profession. Incidences of one person voting for multiple voters at one go were also reported putting a question mark on ‘One person, one vote’. Confusion on the legality of ‘voter slips’ also arose as voters already had EPIC issued by the Election Commission. In one polling station in 2 Dimapur II AC, one elector was disallowed from voting after the person failed to produce a ‘voter slip’ issued to registered voters in the lead up to poll day. The person was turned back even after producing the EPIC. An election official queried on this said that ‘voter slips’ were issued with the intent to let voters who already had their names registered on the Electoral Roll but had not received the EPIC; and for registered electors without photo on the Electoral Roll, to vote. The official further explained that a vote could be cast if the voter could produce valid identity proof tallying with the name on the Electoral Roll. According to the official, Dimapur has some 10,000 voters without EPIC. Furthermore, the EPIC was not without discrepancy. Facts entered incorrectly were reported by several EPIC holders. One woman said that the EPIC issued had her date of birth incorrect despite the election office conducting a series of verification exercises. In one instance, a woman’s photo appeared in the Electoral Roll of two different polling stations. The woman in the photo has her name registered under ward number 11, while her photo, with a different name and address, appeared in ward number 21.

Armed cadres attack people over tax; ACAUT demands apology Aghunaqa Area votes peacefully Morung Express News Kohima | April 9

Two armed cadres, claiming to be from NSCN (K), chased and threatened an ACAUT Nagaland member, Abe Mero, another resident and some labourers, on April 9. The incident occurred at around 4.30pm at Jail Colony here when a truck was unloading construction material at Mero’s place. The two men started to demand “non-local tax” of Rs. 300 from the four labourers working there when Mero intervened. One of the cadres started to threaten her to the extent of

bringing out a gun. When Mero informed them that she is a member of ACAUT Nagaland, she was further intimidated. Meanwhile, a blank shot was fired by the other cadre inside the truck. When Mero tried to flee and hide due to the intimidation, the first cadre forcibly dragged her out from hiding at gun point. He also “mercilessly” hit a dog sleeping in the pathway, sources informed. When the dog’s owner, one Temsu, came out of his place shouting about his dog, the cadre started chasing both Mero and Temsu with a gun in hand. Once Mero and Tem-

su hid inside the residential area, the cadres started beating one labourer while stripping another naked. Another got a bruise on his eye. They are currently in hospital being treated. Meanwhile, the ACAUT Nagaland has “condemned” in strongest terms the “intimidation and attempt of life” on Mero by the cadres. While an FIR has been lodged, the ACAUT Nagaland informed Mero has identified one of the cadres from police mug shots; the Kohima police have identified him as “the brother of NSCN-K Kohima Town commander.” ACAUT Na-

galand demanded that the NSCN (K) Kohima “town commander hand over his brother to the police immediately.” The ACAUT Nagaland then called upon the NSCN (K) leadership “to tender public apology to the two victims who were beaten up, Ms. Abe Mero and ACAUT Nagaland.” “Incase the NSCN-K leadership claims that the said cadre is no longer under with the organisation, it should be backed by termination order along with newspaper clipping failing which ACAUT Nagaland shall take up the matter with the Naga people in Kohima,” it was stated.

Morung Express News Dimapur | April 9

Voting for the lone Lok Sabha seat was peacefully conducted in Aghunaqa area falling under Niuland subdivision in Dimapur. It may be recalled that the Aghunaqa Kukami Kuqhakulu (AKK, or GBs Association) had earlier decided to boycott the polls but called off the same after Nagaland State Home Minister, G. Kaito Aye, assured to look into their grievances of polling stations in the said area. Comprising of 38 villages and more than 10,000 voters, people of Ag-

hunaqa area have to travel as far as 40 km to cast their vote at Kiyezu village. Speaking to The Morung Express, AKK president, Mughavi Awomi, said that the people of the area have been facing the problem for the past 27 years and have demanded polling station for nine villages in the area. However, he said that with an assurance from the Home Minister, the people of the area went out of their homes in large numbers to exercise their franchise on Wednesday. While some rode in bicycles and private vehicles

to reach the polling station at Kiyezu; in some villages, the councils arranged vehicles to transport the voters enabling them to exercise their franchise, he added. The AKK president claimed that almost 90% of the voting population had cast their votes. He regretted that most of the aged people could not vote owing to the large distance between the polling station and their villages. Meanwhile, sources suggested that in most places in Dimapur, the head of the family exercised their franchise on behalf of the entire family.

None of The Above

notA: the point being? Morung Express News Dimapur | April 9

Varied views were expressed by voters across Nagaland on the ballot option None of the Above (NOTA), introduced by the Election Commission of India for the first time in the Lok Sabha polls. Lima, a teacher at a college in Dimapur, expressed there may be some electors, especially the youth, could use this option as many are unsatisfied with the present electioneering system, where most votes are cast by proxy voters. Alizo, a youth, expressed apprehension that there may be few voters casting NOTA, as many may not be aware about this ballot option. In another polling station in Dimapur, an elderly elec-

tor stated that there could be no votes cast on NOTA as “all the candidates in Nagaland are able and eligible.” Chuba, from Mokokchung, was of the view that there could be no electors in Nagaland taking the effort to go to the polling station and casting their vote on NOTA. “I’d rather sit at home than go out and vote on NOTA,” he expressed. He noted that there is little significance in introducing the NOTA option, except as a means to collect data. The NOTA option has no tangible effect on the polling result. Chempise, an elector in Tuensang, opined that electors, especially in villages, may mistakenly press the NOTA button in confusion. He viewed that the newly introduced ballot option has not been publi-

cized adequately. The introduction of NOTA has brought different views among the voters. While interviewing electors, many were found unaware of this option or what would happen if a majority of voters cast their vote on NOTA. The ECI has notified that higher number of NOTA votes will have no effect on the winning chances of candidates. Candidates with the higher number of votes will be declared the winner even if majority of the electors cast their votes on NOTA. The ‘None Of The Above’ button is a ballot option intended to allow the voter to express her/his disapproval of all the candidates based on the principle that consent requires the ability to withhold consent in an election.

Why we did not vote… KOHIMA, APRIL 9 (MExN): “In my entire life, I went to vote once, but by the time I reached the booth, somebody had already cast my vote. That that changed my whole perspective about the right to vote,” says a media person who did not vote in the Lok Sabha elections held on April 9. Apart from the usual excuses of not obtaining a voter’s ID card or the distance one has to travel to vote, there were other reasons some Nagas chose not to vote. “My vote makes no difference. We all know who is going to win,” says a student activist who is of the view that despite the clean election campaigns, proxy votes are rampant all over Nagaland. “My vote is not reducing the corruption level,” says another citizen. Many Nagas are of the view that voting is not going to bring change in Nagaland. Many do not support any of the candidates and feel that there is no gain for the public in the candidate’s victory. An SSA teacher whose electoral station is based in Zunheboto says, “I don’t even have the fare to go and vote.” A mother of 3 says, “I feel lazy but I also feel that it is not important.” Despite efforts on a clean election campaign, proxy voting comes easy in Nagaland. Sensitization, awareness, honesty and integrity are challenges Nagaland still has to deal with.

Indifference to voting remains Our Correspondent Kiphire | April 9

Campaign on free and fair election, ethical voting and SVEEP campaign concluded just before the Lok Sabha polls, however, indifference and apathy remained for a section of the electorate. Polling Booths looked deserted and voting was done in a lukewarm manner in Kiphire district. Some expressed that the whole exercise would have “no benefit” and was “not worth the time and energy” spent coming to the polling station to exercise one’s franchise. Some youths who came to vote shared they

would press the NOTA button, as they have lost faith in politicians. Some party leaders said that development activities have been lacking in the district, thereby resulting in cynicism. They stated that the district needs due consideration for its electorate to shake off the sense of apathy towards the democratic process. A group of senior citizens at a polling station said, “we are extremely discouraged and don’t want to exercise our vote because in the past five years Kiphire district is left out completely and is not on the development map…”

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