DIMAPUR, March 27 - Dr MM Thromwa Konyak, who filed his nomination papers as an Indian Christian Secular Party (ICSP) candidate for the Lok Sabha election in Nagaland, will have to contest as an Independent candidate for failing to produce the original signed copies of Form A and B issued by his party, Nagaland Returning Officer M Patton said.
Patton said though Konyak�s other nomination papers were found valid after scrutiny on Tuesday, he would have to contest as an Independent candidate if he chooses to remain in the race.
Nomination papers of the other three candidates � Tokheho Yepthomi (NDPP), KL Chishi (INC) and Hayithung Tungoe (NPP) � for the Lok Sabha polls were found valid.
Nomination papers of all the four candidates � Alemjongshi Longkumer (INC), Sharingain Longkumer (NDPP), Toshipokba Longkumer (NPF) and O Tinujungshi Longkumer (NPP) � for the by-election to the Aonglenden Assembly seat were also found valid after scrutiny on Tuesday.
The last date of withdrawal of candidature for both the Lok Sabha election and the by-poll is March 28. Both the Lok Sabha poll and the by-election will be held in the State simultaneously on April 11.
The Nagaland Government today declared April 11 as a paid holiday for all the employees of government, private and business establishments in the State to enable them to participate and exercise their franchise in the election, Chief Secretary Temjen Toy said in a notification.
Nagaland Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Abhijit Sinha said a total of 12,13,777 electorate are eligible to vote in the Lok Sabha polls, while the Aonglenden Assembly constituency has 12,482 eligible voters as per the latest electorate count.
There will be 2,227 polling stations for the Parliamentary poll and 16 polling stations for the by-election in the State, Sinha said. A total of 450 polling stations have been identified as critical and vulnerable, he said.
The CEO said the first batch of Central Armed Police Forces companies comprising CRPF, SSB and BSF, has already arrived in the State for poll duty, while another batch of the CAPF will arrive by March 31. Home guards and village guards of the State will supplement the security during the elections, he added.
Sinha said 605 persons have been bound down under preventive sections till Tuesday, while 1,879 arm licences have been deposited and six arms seized by the police so far. Sinha added 19,038 litres of liquor and Rs 70 lakh in cash have also been seized.
