Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the State government to suspend Peren’s additional deputy commissioner (ADC) and 6-Tening A/C returning officer (RO) and general observer, besides ordering initiation of disciplinary action against the duo, over the issue of overturned poll verdict on March 3 that led to a controversy.
Chief electoral officer (CEO) Abhijit Sinha informed that the ECI directive to the State government came in the last week of March to suspend ADC & RO Tening A/C, Warren Hollohon Yepthomi and general observer Rajkumar Beniwal. Sinha explained that certain procedures were required to be carried out for initiating disciplinary action against the erring officials, and hence the ECI order was released only now.
NPF candidate N.R Zeliang was declared winner from 6 Tening A/C in Peren district on March 3, having said to have defeated his nearest rival by a margin of 32 votes. Zeliang was even issued the winning certificate. However, on the same evening, the result was overturned and NDPP candidate Namri Nchang was declared a winner (by 168 votes). The RO had cited “tabulation error” as the reason for the confusion, Sinha said.
Subsequently, the issue was forwarded to ECI and the latter directed cancellation of the “declaration of wrong result issued in favour of NPF candidate” and confirmed Nchang as the winner. NPF then registered a complaint against the RO, objecting to the verdict.