NPCC urges DGP to ensure free and fair election process in Nagaland

The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has urged Nagaland DGP Rupin Sharma to ensure conduct of a free and fair election process for the ensuing assembly elections in the state.The state Congress made the appeal anticipating unethical practices during elections.

In a letter to the state police chief on February 7, NPCC communications department chairman Wezote Kreo  sought to point out that  the state reportedly topped the statistics in terms of voter turnout in the past few elections and said the reality appears to be the other way around.

The letter said newspapers and the social media handles of the state were filled with reports of various offences listed under the IPC like booth capturing, physical violence, forcefully removing minority voters from the line, snatching away of voters slips while queuing up to vote in spite of clear guidelines from the Election Commission. 

It said the social media was flooded with ‘where’s my vote’ campaign during state assembly elections in 2018 and the general elections in 2019 owing to these unmonitored corrupt practices.

The letter said in view of the steep surge in the political parties participating in the ensuing assembly elections in the state, it is likely that the spectrum of unethical practices might broaden in the next few weeks in spite of the pre-imposed of model code of conduct.
“Therefore, it is imminent to caution your department at this stage when it is viable to foresee the violations in light of the apprehensions and prejudices for prevention and timely action in case of adversary,” the letter added. 

Meanwhile, Dimapur police commissioner Kevithuto Sophie sealed 16 gun shops, five air gun shops and four arms repairing shops on Tuesday. These shops will remain closed till completion of the election process, Dimapur police PRO and DCP (crime) said in a release