With just hours to polling for the 18th Lok Sabha elections, the Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland, today, strictly cautioned Congress candidate S Supongmeren Jamir after receiving a complaint from the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), Dimapur unit against Jamir for using the religion card to get votes, and thus violating the Model Code of Conduct.
In the CEO, Nagaland’s notification to Jamir, it is mentioned that the complaint was filed by Imchainba, President, BJP, Dimapur District dated 17th April 2024 at around 5:30 pm. In the complaint, the BJP leader had made the allegations based on the letters the Congress candidate had written to Dimapur Tzurangkong Council Union, C/o President and the Dimapur Lanpangkong Council Union, C/o President. This was later verified by the Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer, Dimapur today, the CEO informed.
In his letter, Supongmeren Jamir is quoted to have said in Ao dialect, “other religious believers are being threatened and being persecuted”, and “At present BJP Government is in power and through them BJP and RSS are working together to make India, one nation, one culture and one religion only.” The letters also stated, “In the forthcoming MP election leaded by the BJP Government, if voted to power again, it will be very difficult to for our people to live on.” The letters conclude, by stating that, “I would like to urge all the people of Ao tribes in Dimapur and its periphery to think wisely and cast your precious vote prayerfully in order to have a better tomorrow.”
The CEO, Nagaland reminded the Congress candidate that “as per sub-section 3 of Section 123 of the Representation of People Act, 1951, appealing by a candidate to vote on the ground of his religion is a corrupt practice,” and informed Jamir that he had “used his religion for furthering the prospects of his election.”
The CEO also apprised Supongmeren Jamir that Clause (1) of Part I General Conduct of the Model Code of Conduct for Guidance of Political Parties and Candidates states that, “No party or candidate shall include in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic.” Additionally, Clause (3) of Part I General Conduct of the Model Code of Conduct for Guidance of Political Parties and Candidates inter-alia states that “There shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes.
ECI’s 1st March 2024 Advisory also states that, “No appeal shall be made on the basis of caste/communal feelings of the electors. No activity, which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes/communities/religious/linguistic groups, shall be attempted.”
In view of all these, the CEO, Nagaland issued a strict caution to the Congress candidate “against appealing to communal feelings for securing votes in favour of your candidature for the 1- Nagaland Parliamentary Constituency in the General Elections to the Lok Sabha 2024.”
