[Previous entry: "Nagas must not initiate in Indian election Naga Military Army Force, NNC."] [Next entry: "NSCN-K/GoI truce extension talks soon Nagarealm.com"]

04/12/2009: "Zero tolerance for poll misconduct morungexpress"

Zero tolerance for poll misconduct morungexpress

Dr S.Y Quraishi, Election Commissioner of India addresses the media during a press conference ahead of the 15th Parliamentary election at Dimapur on April 10. (Caisii Mao/Photo)
Dimapur |: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has assured to ensure “free and fair election” in Nagaland for both the lone Lok Sabha seat and four assembly seats, slated for April 16. “We have made it very clear that neutrality is the keyword and there will be zero tolerance to anyone violating the ECI guidelines. We have external observers in position; they are the eyes and ears of the commission,” said Election Commissioner Dr. SY Qurashi. He briefed the press Friday in Chumukedima.
ECI assures free and fair polls in state
The election commissioner has met with political parties including the NPF and Congress, chief secretary and director general of police as well as returning officers, assistant returning officers and SPs earlier in the morning. He said about 100 micro-observers would be deployed in sensitive polling stations. Qurashi also said the commission has introduced “vulnerability mapping” and that video cameras would be installed in sensitive and vulnerable polling stations.
Disclosing that the commission had so far been able to procure only 132 video cameras, which were “unfortunately” too less in number, the election commissioner said deputy commissioners have been instructed to hire and requisition private digital cameras for the purpose. Reiterating zero-tolerance against electoral malpractices and poll misconduct, Qurashi said the commission would not hesitate to order re-polling in any polling station if there was “reasonable suspicion” that unfair means had been adopted.
Queried on the low percentage of EPIC coverage in the state (42.90%) for the ensuing election, the election commissioner said it was mainly due to threats from extremist groups. He said there were instances where EPIC teams have been attacked by militants. Deputy Election Commissioner Dr. Alok Shukla and Chief Electoral Officer of Nagaland, CJ Ponraj was also present at the briefing. According to the revised electoral roll of 2009, the state has 13, 17,729 voters including 6, 73,047 males and 6, 44,682 females. A total of 1790 polling stations have been set up for the ensuing Lok Sabha election with Dimapur district having the highest number of polling stations (259).
ECI notes Cong’s complaints
Meanwhile, the Nagaland Congress party has highlighted a number of complaints to the Election Commission of India against alleged misuse of government machinery and other violations of code of conduct by the ruling NPF-led DAN Government. Election Commissioner, Dr. SY Qurashi, who visited Nagaland Friday last told media persons that the complaints of the Nagaland Congress party include alleged misuse of government machinery by the ruling NPF-led DAN Government; the chief minister and the planning minister allegedly induced voters by distributing two truckloads and a truckload of rice respectively; the chief minister promising GBs to upgrade Akuluto sub-division to that of ADC headquarter, and violation of ceasefire ground rules by some underground outfits, ECI listed out Qurashi said the Congress party has also requested the commission that Assam Rifles personnel should be deployed along with election observers and video cameras in polling stations. The election commissioner assured to look into the complaints and necessary action taken.
Jamir, Rio greets on Easter morungexpress
Dimapur, April 11 (MExN): The Governor of Maharashtra Dr. SC Jamir and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio wish blessed Easter to the people of the state. Separate messages were received here from the two today. In his message, Governor Jamir said Easter Sunday is a day of celebration for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from death. “It is a day of hope, renewal and peace. Through His sacrifice and triumph over death, Christ lifted the sights of humanity forever”, Jamir said in his Easter greetings. “Let us all celebrate the festival in the spirit of forgiveness and harmony”, Jamir said and wished the people a happy Easter. In a separate message, Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio and his wife Kaisa Rio extended greetings to the people. In an Easter message released to the media by the press secretary to the chief minister, Rio said “the resurrection of Jesus Christ offers us a message of hope, love and peace.” He said the resurrection of Christ is victory over darkness and “brings the hope of new life.” The chief minister called upon the people to “understand the message of Christ and rededicate ourselves to peace, understanding and brotherhood.”
Street play to promote peace staged in Nagaland Vibou Ganguly Sindh
Kohima, April 12 (ANI): The theatre art has long been considered an effective medium to propagate social messages and influence people, especially in the north-east parts of the country.
Recently, a group of stage artists performed a play, depicting the State of affairs in the northeastern states due to militancy.
Aimed at sending out a message about the need for peace, the play was staged in Kohima and Wokha in Nagaland.
Organised by National Institute of Performing Arts, New Delhi in collaboration with united theatre artists, Tezpur, the play highlighted the message of peace, prosperity and normalcy.
The play also urged the audience to work towards bringing lasting peace and finding a solution to militancy, besides focusing on the problems created by insurgency.
“This drama is depicting the scene in Nagaland. It tells how the youth of today are misguided. They want money, luxury and everything but they are not following the right paths for doing that. They want easy path, easy way to earn money,” said Bappi Adhikari, one of the audience in Kohima
“I am touched and encouraged watching this drama because looking at the contemporary Naga youth today, one of the main drawback is adequate platform and adequate awareness through which the Naga youth today could expose their skills and talents,” said Ketou, another in the audience.
Realizing the problems caused by militancy, people have started coming out openly to condemn militant activities.
And street plays are one way of creating awareness among the youth about the effects of insurgency.
“This drama is about the present scenario prevailing in the entire northeast state, like insurgency. We would like to tell through this that insurgency is not the ultimate route of the people. Those who have already gone from the mainstream of our state or country, through this drama we would like to invite them back to the mainstream,” said Aishwarya Kakoti, Secretary, United Artist, Assam.
“I am personally touched. This performance will provide platform to express those who are not able to express themselves. There are some who joins militant groups out of anger,” said Akumla, an artist, Kohima.
The initiative was an attempt to make people aware about the urgent need for harmony in the society.
Similar Street plays were staged in other parts of the region as well and they attracted sizeable crowds. (ANI)
India: The world's most remarkable election The Independent
As the largest democracy on the planet prepares to elect a new government, Andrew Buncombe reports on the choices facing the 714 million voters AJIT SOLAN KI / AP
From the mountain heights of Kashmir to the palm-fringed beaches of Kerala, from Nagaland in the remote north-east to the Maharashtra heartland, India will this week throw itself headlong into the world's largest and most extraordinary election.
Here, in the planet's biggest, if imperfect, democracy, candidates from 1,055 parties will be seeking the support of more than 714 million registered voters – a number that has jumped by 40 million since the last election in 2004. Across India's 35 states and "union territories" there will be 800,000 polling stations ready to receive voters, while six million police will be on duty to try to maintain order. Such is the sheer scale of this enterprise that the voting is to be staggered over a month with five separate polling days. The result will be announced in mid-May.
Among some of the leading players in this political carnival are a movie star turned politician, whose rallies lure countless thousands of the poor, desperate for him to transform his on-screen Robin Hood heroism into real-life action; a "Dalit Queen", whose support among so-called Untouchables could carry her to the prime minister's official residence; a chief minister whose state saw a massacre of Muslims yet who has risen to become a potential leader of his party; and an elegant, Italian-born widow who holds the position as India's chief power broker. There are wealthy and poor, old and young, high-caste and low, nationalists and those who want to separate from India. There are those who preach peace, and those who promise violence. There are dozens of languages and many different scripts.
Related articles But if an Indian election provides a window in the extraordinary diversity of the subcontinent, it should not distract from the fundamental point that this is a contest for power. The centrist Congress Party, which heads the current ruling coalition, is battling to fight off a challenge not just from the main opposition, the right-wing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but also from a third front of communist and left parties and even a fourth front that includes disgruntled former allies. Some analysts believe this election – the 15th since the country won independence in 1947 – is the most open in recent years.
What is clear is that the election is taking place against a backdrop of uncertainty and anxiety for India. While this emerging nation with its middle vision fixed on superpower status has not suffered the same sort of economic downturn as the West, many middle-class professions in the IT and software industry have for the first time faced redundancies and layoffs.
At the same time there is mounting concern about the threat of terrorism. Last year's Mumbai attacks saw more than 160 people killed by militants from Pakistan, and the issue of how to avoid a repeat of such incidents has dominated much public debate. India's relationship with Pakistan, which has never been warm, but which in recent years had been enjoying something of a thaw, has effectively now reverted to a stand-off. Meanwhile, the bodies of nine of the militants who carried out the attack – another man was captured alive – remain in a Mumbai mortuary waiting to be claimed.
"I will be voting BJP. The risk of terrorism is high and the Congress does not support a strict law against terrorism," said Praveen Rana, an Indian air force officer. "The problem for India is that 60 per cent of the population is poor and they vote in their own interests. The middle classes don't care about politics. That is why we only have bad politicians."
This criticism of politicians, particularly their alleged corruption, is a constant among supporters of all parties. In a country where bribery is embedded in everyday interactions – from getting a job or a canister of cooking gas to paying off a policeman – ordinary voters are disappointed but not surprised at reports of corruption. Indeed, Indian newspapers have been full of such stories. Just this week, police in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, parts of which go to the polls on Thursday, uncovered wads of cash worth about £3m in a supposed "votes for notes" scandal. One regional watchdog claims £137m will be spent in the last few days of campaigning to pay for inducements. Many ordinary people believe instinctively that politicians are only interested in themselves.
"Nobody will help the poor. I have to work for my survival," said Krishaiah, a wizened flower-seller from the southern city of Hyderabad, touting strings of blooms alongside a noisy, traffic-filled road. "Neither the Congress nor anybody else can help." That people have such distrust of politicians ought not to be a surprise. Of the 543 MPs returned to the Lok Sabha, or lower house of parliament, in 2004, a total of 128 had outstanding criminal charges against them. Of those alleged offences, 84 were for murder while other allegations included kidnapping, extortion and robbery. "[To be prevented from standing] the law requires a person to be convicted but a lot of these cases just drag on and on," said Anil Bairwal, coordinator of the Association for Democratic Reforms, a watchdog group that has collected these statistics. "By the time it comes to court, the person may have retired or passed on."
Leading the Congress's re-election campaign is party chairman Sonia Gandhi, the autocratic widow of assassinated former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, and prime minister Manmohan Singh, a quiet, uncharismatic economist credited with kick-starting India's development but who has taken the country into a closer alignment with the US. Mrs Gandhi's quietly spoken 38-year-old son, Rahul, a great-grandson of India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, is already a major presence in the party and is widely tipped as a future prime minister. The Congress, which bought the rights to the Slumdog Millionaire hit "Jai Ho" (Let There Be Victory) to use as its theme song, has sought to highlight the country's progress over the past five years.
Leading the BJP is the octogenarian L K Advani, a man who despite, or perhaps because of, his age has pitched himself as a politician of vitality and new ideas. He has even started blogging. Despite the ascension within the party's hierarchy of figures such Narendra Modi, a right-wing ideologue and chief minister of Gujarat, which in 2002 saw a massacre of Muslims, the BJP has tried to position itself towards the centre, arguing that it has moved away from its nationalist past.
But its dilemma of whether or not to give up the so-called Hindutva vote was underlined by the recent antics of Varun Gandhi, also a great-grandson of Nehru but the black sheep of the dynasty. Campaigning for the BJP in India's largest state, Uttar Pradesh, Mr Gandhi, who falsely claimed he had earned two degrees in London, vowed to cut off the heads of Muslims – an election promise that might have pleased Hindu extremists but which saw him thrown in jail and held under anti-terrorism laws.
Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs, was once a Congress stronghold but has since been controlled by two caste-based parties. The current chief minister, Mayawati, draws her support from Dalits and has gradually built her support elsewhere in the country. Brimming with ambition and with a penchant for commissioning super-sized statues of herself, the diminutive Mayawati has been tipped as a possible premier if she takes her Bahujan Samaj Party into an alliance with left parties in a third front.
In recent weeks, a fourth front has also emerged, made up of regional parties such as the Samajwadi Party, another caste-based party from Uttar Pradesh, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal from impoverished Bihar. While this grouping is unlikely to be able to form a government by itself, its fortunes have been boosted by the support of Konidela Shiva Shankara Vara Prasad, better known as Chiranjeevi, a popular Telugu-language movie star, who last year formed his own party in Andhra Pradesh. The larger-than-life actor has drawn huge crowds as his campaign tours the state. "Reforms need to take place," he said. "Rural areas have been neglected."
Pundits predict that whichever single party emerges with the most votes, it will be forced to make a coalition to form a government. This time around, there have been few pre-poll alliances with most parties opting to see how they stand in a month's time. "The real election will start on 16 May," said the veteran journalist and political analyst M J Akbar. "[The coalitions] are all marriages of convenience. There are no clear ideologies."
In a region where democracy has often struggled, it is perhaps a compliment to India's enduring civilian rule that few see radical changes, regardless of whichever of the major parties forms the next government. What the election does promise is terrific political theatre. Pull up a chair.
The India election in numbers States:
West Bengal: Bengal has been under Communist rule since gaining independence, and hammer and sickle flags jostle for space with images of Bollywood stars.
Kashmir: The most densely militarized place on Earth and still at the centre of South Asian tension.
Uttar Pradesh: India's largest and most important state, with a population of over 190 million. It is the electoral base of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, with Rahul and Sonia Gandhi both having constituencies here.
Gujarat: Fast becoming India's business hub, Gujarat is responsible for the production of about 90 per cent of India's required Soda Ash. It also provides about 66 per cent of all the salt used in India.
Kerala: A survey in 2005 ranked Kerala as the least corrupt state in the country. At 91 per cent, it also has the highest literacy rate in India.
Bihar: Nearly 85 per cent of Bihar's population is rural.
Haryana: At 29,887 rupees (£410), the state of Haryana has the third highest per capita income in India. It also has the largest number of rural crorepatis (similar to millionaires when taking into account the cost of living) in India.
Himachal Pradesh: In a 1981 census it was found that Hindus made up 95 per cent of the state population.
Maharashtra: Contributing to 15 per cent of India's industrial output and 13.2 per cent of its GDP in 2005-06, Maharashtra is the richest state in India.
Punjab: With just 6.16 per cent of the population living in poverty, Punjab is considered the least impoverished of India's states.
Nagaland: Over 85 per cent of the population of Nagaland are directly dependant on agriculture.
Orissa: Nearly half of the 38 million people living in Orissa are classed as living below the poverty line.
Tamil Nadu: More than 10 per cent of India's businesses are based in Tamil Nadu – the largest number for any state.
Sikkim: With only 540,000 inhabitants, Sikkim is India's least populous state. At 76 people per square kilometer, it also one of the least densely populated.
Mizoram: Christians make up 87 per cent of Mizoram's population – one of only three Indian states with a Christian majority.
Karnataka: With GDP growth of 56.2 per cent and per capita GDP growth of 43.9 per cent, Karnataka has been the fastest growing state over the past decade.
Arunachal Pradesh: The one million-strong population of Arunachal Pradesh is grouped into more than a hundred tribes and sub-tribes.
Manipur: A politically sensitive area, foreigners wishing to visit must get a permit which lasts up to ten days. Visitors are required to travel in groups of four on arranged tours with authorized agents only.
Chhattisgarh: Known as "the rice bowl of India", Chhattisgarh is one of the largest producers of rice in India – around 1.6 tonnes per hectare.
Assam: Separatist rebels and ethnic tension make this an unstable region, with attacks on migrants and 605 bomb blasts in the past eight years.
Madhya Pradesh: Sixty per cent of children aged under five are malnourished, leading to a mortality rate of one in 10 – among the world's worst areas for malnutrition.
Jharkhand: With a rapidly advancing economy, poverty declined by 2 per cent per year between 1994 and 2002.
Goa: Hundreds of thousands of tourists flock here each year attracted by Goa's beaches and world heritage architecture.
Rajasthan: The largest state in India, Rajasthan has an area of 342,269km2, around 100,000km2 more than the UK.
Andhra Pradesh: At 972km, Andhra Pradesh has the second largest coastline in India.
Meghalaya: The population is mostly composed of tribespeople, 70 per cent of them Christian owing to the work of early missionaries.
Tripura: A state ruled by members of the Left Front, including the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Revolutionary Socialist Party.
Uttarakhand: The capital, Dehradun, is sometimes known as "the Oxford of India" for its wide array of boarding schools.
Union territories
Chandigarh: The city of Chandigarh has the highest per capita income in the country at 99,262 rupees (£1,350). It is also a union territory.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands: The islands were struck by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami; 2,500 people were killed and 5,000 pronounced missing.
Lakshadweep: India's smallest union territory with a population of just 60,650.
Delhi: Current estimates put the municipal population at 17 million, making Delhi the sixth most populous city in the world.
Puducherry: With colleges for engineering, the arts, sciences, medicine and technology, Puducherry is considered an educational centre for southern India.
Dadra and Nagar Haveli: These Portuguese colonies were liberated in July 1954, and an agreement signed in 1961 to merge them with the rest of India.
Daman and Diu: With a population of just 158,204 , this is India's second least populous area.
General election facts
There are 543 seats in the Lok Sabha, the directly elected lower house which is also known as the House of the People. Elections take place every five years. There are 730 million registered voters in India, an increase of 40 million since 2004.
Voting will be conducted at 800,000 polling booths and 1,368,430 electronic voting machines. More than two million security personnel will be on hand to ensure the elections run without a hitch. Of the candidates announced so far, at least 70 have criminal cases pending against them. The charges include murder, rape, kidnapping, extortion and assault.
Voting takes place over five phases between 16 April and 13 May. India's biggest political party, the Indian National Congress, is part of the United Progressive Alliance which brings together parties willing to support a Congress-led national government.
The main opposition, the Bharatiya Jarata Party (BJP), is part of the National Democratic Alliance. This coalition was the first to be forged between a major national party and a range of regional players. The Third Front, a leftist grouping, re-named itself the United National Progressive Alliance last month. The UNPA lists the Communist Party of India, the Forward Bloc and the Revolutionary Socialist Party among its 10 members.
Manipur voters worry about the state’s borders | Sindh Today |
Imphal, April 12 (IANS) Political parties in Manipur are trying their best to prove who can protect the state’s territorial integrity - an emotive issue dominating the Lok Sabha election campaign. The special powers given to the armed forces is also a key campaign theme. Elections for the two parliamentary seats in Manipur take place April 16 and 23. With 16 candidates in the fray, no party or political formation has emerged as the frontrunner yet.
Safeguarding the boundaries of Manipur has been a sensitive issue ever since the state saw widespread violence in 2001 when then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee agreed to extend the truce with the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) beyond Nagaland into Manipur.
At least 20 people were killed in the unrest. The state assembly was set on fire by mobs belonging to the majority Meitei community, angry over Vajpayee’s decision to allow the NSCN-IM a free run in Manipur. While the estimated 400,000 Nagas in the state of 2.4 million are siding with the demand for a ‘Greater Nagaland’, a concept mooted by the NSCN-IM, the majority Meiteis are opposed to any fragmentation of their state.
The NSCN, a rebel group in adjoining Nagaland, wants a ‘Greater Nagaland’ by slicing off parts of neighbouring Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh that have sizeable Naga population. The United Naga Council (UNC), the apex body of the Nagas residing in four districts in Manipur, favours integrating Naga-inhabited areas with ‘Greater Nagaland’.
“The Congress party’s stand is very clear and firm. We are not going to part with even an inch of our land. It was during the NDA’s (National Democratic Alliance) time that the centre announced extension of NSCN (I-M) ceasefire without any territorial limit,” Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh told IANS.
With the Congress harping on the theme of safeguarding the territorial integrity and accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of compromising the state’s boundary, the BJP is having a hard time. Almost all the parties have highlighted the issue of territorial integrity in their manifestoes. Another important issue pertains to repealing the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), an anti-terror law aimed at quelling insurgency.
The 1958 act provides unlimited powers to the security forces to shoot on sight and arrest anybody without a warrant. “We are committed to repealing the act by voicing the sentiments of the people of Manipur in parliament,” Nationalist Congress Party leader Purno Sangma said after releasing the party manifesto here.
Chief Minister Okram said his government had already withdrawn the act from the Imphal municipal areas. “We also want an end to the act as soon as possible, but before we lift it completely we must ensure that killings and extortions stop,” he said.
Human Rights Watch describes how the act has become a tool of state abuse, oppression and discrimination. (Syed Zarir Hussain can be contacted at zarir.h@ians.in)