DIMAPUR, Feb 2 - State Election Commissioner Sentiyanger Imchen issued a notification withholding elections to all the remaining urban local bodies as had been notified by the State Election Commission on January 31.
Imchen issued the notifications after the Nagaland Cabinet at a meeting at the Chief Minister�s residential office in Kohima on Wednesday decided to ask the State Election Commission to withhold the process of elections to the urban local bodies and take up with the remaining postponed process of the elections to the civic bodies as notified by the State Election Commission on January 31, 2017, the CMO said in a release. The Cabinet wrote to the State Election Commission to withhold the polls keeping in view the sentiments of the people and the prevailing situation, the CMO informed.
The State Cabinet also expressed deep concern and sadness over the demise of two persons and injuries to individuals during the violent incidents in Dimapur and Longleng on January 31.
The CMO also informed that the Cabinet decided to set up a Judicial Inquiry Commission to inquire into the incidents and payment of ex-gratia to the victims.
The CMO further said that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had called up Chief Minister TR Zeliang and inquired about the situation in the State. It said Singh had acknowledge the government�s stand to fulfill the constitutional obligation of holding the elections and at the same time advised Zeliang to patiently convince the people to accept the reality.
Nagaland Governor PB Acharya, who is presently in Itanagar, also called up the Chief Minister and conveyed his sympathies and concerns over the unfortunate turn of events.