DIMAPUR, Jan 18 - On the last day of withdrawal of nominations on January 17 for the forthcoming urban local body elections in Nagaland, 72 candidates from 13 town and municipal councils have withdrawn their papers. The total number candidates who withdrew nominations now stands at 140. The civic body elections are scheduled for February 1.
Bowing to pressure from Naga Council Dimapur and other tribal hohos, Dimapur saw the highest number of withdrawal of nominations of 10 candidates out of the 60 in fray.
In Phek district on Tuesday, volunteers of Chakhesang Youth Front turned violent and vandalised the houses of three NPF candidates who refused to withdraw their nominations as directed by Chakhesang Public Organisation. Properties in the houses were ransacked while vehicles were overturned and damaged by the enraged mob. The candidates were not in station during the incidents.
The situation reportedly calmed down after the police resorted to blank fire to disperse the mob. Following the incident, Phek district administration promulgated Section 144 CrPC in Phek town.
In Dimapur, amidst furor and mounting pressure, all four Congress candidates, five Independents and one BJP candidate withdrew their nominations while none of the 22 NPF candidates withdrew their papers amidst threat of excommunication from their respective tribal bodies.
Convenor of selection committee for Dimapur Municipal Council polls of Congress K Chishi said heeding the call of tribal bodies, the four Congress candidates have withdrawn their candidature.
Meanwhile, Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) comprising Ao, Lotha, Sumi, Chakhro Angami and Chakesang tribes resolved to ask the State Government to postpone the civic body elections and to respond at the earliest. Failure to heed to the call, it warned to convene a public rally to be followed by an indefinite bandh.
This was decided at a meeting on the last date for withdrawal of nominations at Lotha Hoho Ki, Dimapur. The Naga Council Dimapur has also endorsed the resolution of JCC. Of the 60 candidates who filed nominations in Dimapur district, 41 candidates � 13 BJP, 16 Independents, four Congress and NPF � attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang said holding elections to the urban local bodies in Nagaland with 33% reservation for women is a constitutional obligation which the State Government could not escape.
He said reservation for women in urban local bodies was not brought about by any enactment of the Parliament or the State Assembly but is a constitutional provision as provided by Article 243 T of the Constitution, according to a CMO release today.
Zeliang said this while addressing NPF candidates of nine town councils at the NPF head office in Kohima on Tuesday.
�As long as we are part of the Union of India, the Constitution of India will be binding on us and we cannot deny this fact,� Zeliang explained.