Ceasefire Supervisory Board bans NSCN factions from carrying of weapons during Nagaland Assembly election

Kohima, Jan 31: The Ceasefire Supervisory Board has banned different factions of NSCN in Nagaland from moving around with any weapons during the state assembly election process.

The Staff Officer for Ceasefire Monitoring Group (CFMG) and Ceasefire Supervisory Board (CFSB) T Mere, said elections to the Nagaland Assembly have been announced by the Election Commission of India to be conducted on February 27.

Mere said the state government and various district administrations have issued instructions with regard to possession of weapons within their jurisdiction to ensure peaceful elections. There is a need for all factions of NSCN to conform to the essential objective of ensuring a peaceful process and election in the state.

He directed that carriage of weapons (firearms) of every kind has been banned for the period commencing February 1 (Wednesday) while date of lifting it will be intimated after the counting day of votes on March 2, based on security situation.

Informing that the instructions apply to all cadres including special ceasefire identity card holders, the Staff Officer to Chairman of CFMG/CFSB on Monday requested the NSCN cadres to ensure strict compliance.

The NSCN-IM entered into a ceasefire with the Centre in 1997 while at least eight more factions of NSCN have also entered into ceasefire subsequently and also engaged in dialogue for a final solution to the Naga Political Issue.

The election to the Nagaland Assembly is scheduled for February 27. The last date for filing nomination is February 7. The counting of votes will be held on March 2.