‘Village councils bound by law to be neutral’
WOKHA, January 45 (MExN): The Wokha district administration, on January 4, proscribed the selection of ‘consensus’ election candidates. With the elections to the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly impending, a DIPR release informed that the Deputy Commissioner, Wokha, prohibited the declaration of village/area/range consensus candidates by any organisation.
Exerting undue influence or attempting to interfere with the free exercise of electoral right by means of threat or injury is an offence under Sections 171 C, 339 and 340 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Further, attempt to promote enmity between classes in connection with elections on grounds of religion, race, caste, community or language constitutes electoral offence under section 125 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which is punishable under sections 153A, 153B, 295A and 505 (2) of the IPC.
It reminded that it has been reiterated by the Election Commission of India prohibiting any organisation or group from activity or statements that amounts to attack on personal life of any person or is malicious or offends decency and morality via instructions dating to April 2014. While maintaining that violation of the rules can also lead to debarment and denial of permission to hold any further election programmes/activity, it reminded the village councils, as auxiliary of the government under section 15 of The Nagaland Village Council Act, 1978 is bound to be neutral in matters related to election.
Given the existing laws, it cautioned all the public/range organisations, including village councils, to take due note and “refrain from declaration of village/Area/Range consensus candidates or any other activity that subverts free exercise of electoral right by any means such as threats of injury or wrongful confinement. Any organisation/persons that violate the same shall be dealt with strictly under the applicable penal provisions of law.”
Source: https://morungexpress.com/wokha-administration-proscribes-selection-of-consensus-candidates
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