Nagaland Lok Sabha candidate served Notice for seeking votes on “religious grounds”

Guwahati, March 20, 2019:

Thromwa Konyak, an independent candidate for Nagaland Lok Sabha election has been served a show cause notice on Satuday for alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

The notice sent by M. Patton, Returning officer accused the candidate of seeking votes on “religious grounds”. The notice read: “there is wide circulation in the social media, whereby it has been alleged that if you win the election, you will build churches and send 10,000 missionaries into India and to countries across the world to spread Christianity.”

The candidate had allegedly reiterated the promises in a ‘Times of India’ article. “And whereas, as per the general conduct under Model Code of Conduct “No party or candidate shall include in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause intention between different caste and communities, religious or linguistic”, the notice says.

“Now therefore, since you have violated the MCC by seeking votes on religious lines, show cause notice is hereby issued and to why actions should not be initiated against you as per the legal provisions in the election law”, the notice read.

Reply to the show cause notice will have to be made within 48 hours from the date of issue of the notice.