Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) has informed the State Election Commissioner (SEC) about the Eastern Nagaland people’s collective decision to abstain from participating in the forthcoming Urban Local Body (ULB) elections scheduled on June 26.
In a letter to the SEC, the ENPO said that the people of Eastern Nagaland under its aegis had on March 19, 2024 reaffirmed their commitment to the “Chenmoho Resolution”, wherein it was resolved not to participate in any Central and state elections due to the delay to create the Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT) as offered and assured by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on December 7, 2023. ENPO said that the MHA had assured to settle the matter before the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the Lok Sabha election was announced by the Election Commission of India.
It regretted that despite numerous reminders through letters and mass public rallies, the MHA turned its deaf ear and MCC was finally announced by the ECI. This was why, the Eastern Nagaland people felt compelled to take this course of action as a means of expressing their collective discontentment, the letter explained.
Clarifying that the decision to abstain from participating in any Central and state’s electoral process was not taken lightly, ENPO said that it reflected the sentiments and aspirations of the Eastern Nagaland people who had tirelessly advocated for their rights and aspirations within the framework of democratic governance.
Maintaining that the “Chenmoho Resolution” represented a consensus among the Eastern Nagaland populace, the organisation reiterated its absolute, unconditional, and unwavering commitment to uphold it. However, it clarified that this stance should not be misconstrued as opposition to the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2023 with 33 per cent reservation for women.
ENPO emphasised that this decision was not intended as an act of defiance against the electoral machinery or the principles of democracy, but rather a principled stance taken within the framework of the Constitution of India and aimed at drawing attention to the legitimate grievances and aspirations of the Eastern Nagaland people.
The organisation said it remained hopeful that both the Central and the state governmentswould heed to the concerns and take concrete steps towards addressing the longstanding issue of the FNT.
In light of the above, it requested the chief electoral officerto take note of the decision and make necessary arrangements to accommodate the abstention from the upcoming ULBs elections in the state.
Expressing its gratitude for the SEC’s attention on the matter, the ENPO also conveyed its willingness to provide more details if required without any delay.