Changtongya village and Akhoya village councils (Putu Menden) were firm against holding of the Municipal/Town Council elections, saying it was against the wishes of the stakeholders.
In a press note, chairmen of Changtongya village council, I. Kumzuk Lkr and Akhoya village council, S. Kilang Lkr said the election would be against the public sentiment and traditional landowners of both villages. In this regard, they said the villages including All Ward Chairman Forum of Changtongya town had decided to boycott the “so called election”.
The councils reiterated that “if the state government does not positively respond to the demand the public”, they will continue to boycott the ULB elections even in the future. The village councils further lauded all intending candidates for cooperating and abstaining from filing the nomination papers and thanked the public for supporting the boycott call.
Meanwhile, the councils also condemned the “modus-operandi” of the authority concerned for extending two more days for filing nominations. They questioned the authority as to how the latter had “arbitrarily shifted” to three locations within four hours to allow candidates to file nominations (Changtongya to Tuli to Chuchuyimlang) when there was no law and order problem in and around Changtongya town. In this regard, the village councils demanded to know “under whose power and authority such extra judicial power was exercised against the wishes of the peace loving citizens?”