The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) organised a meeting on “Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao” at District Bhavan, Tuensang, with party workers and office bearers from Tuensang, Noklak and Longleng districts. The meeting focused on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the need to protect the democratic rights of every eligible voter.

The meeting was attended by AICC Observer Puran Chand Padhi; NPCC Working President Apok Jamir; NPCC Vice-President W. Akum; Chairman of NPCC Media and Publicity Andrew Humtsoe; and Chairman of NPCC Social Media and Digital Platform Kumjimong.

Addressing the gathering, Apok Jamir said the “Vote Chori, Desh Bachao” campaign was being undertaken across the country to raise concerns over alleged irregularities in the electoral revision process. He said the AICC Observer’s visit to Nagaland was part of the party’s efforts to create awareness and address concerns surrounding the SIR exercise.

Jamir claimed that nearly 50 per cent of votes had also been deleted in Delhi, expressing concern over the scale of alleged voter deletions. He urged Congress workers to thoroughly recheck electoral rolls in their respective areas and take all possible steps to safeguard every genuine vote.

He also thanked party workers from Noklak and Longleng for travelling to Tuensang to attend the meeting and participate in the campaign.

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In his address, Puran Chand Padhi expressed concern over the functioning of the SIR, alleging that the process had become increasingly centralised. He said Booth Level Officers (BLOs) had previously exercised greater authority at the grassroots level, whereas the present arrangement had, in his view, concentrated decision-making powers at the central level.

Padhi further alleged that the SIR exercise was being used to delete the names of voters who did not support the BJP, raising concerns over the impartiality and transparency of the electoral revision process.

Emphasising the importance of voting rights in a democracy, he said the vote was the greatest strength of an ordinary citizen and that depriving anyone of this fundamental democratic right amounted to suppressing the voice of the people.

He called upon Congress workers to reach every corner of their respective constituencies, carefully verify electoral rolls and identify genuine voters whose names might have been deleted. He stressed that no eligible voter should be left out and every genuine vote must be protected.

The meeting concluded with a call for vigilance, grassroots coordination and collective efforts to protect the democratic rights of eligible citizens under the “Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao” campaign.