DIMAPUR, April 12 - The Naga People�s Front (NPF) on Friday demanded that Nagaland�s chief electoral officer (CEO) Abhijit Sinha take immediate action against Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton for allegedly violating the model code of conduct as well as breaching the �clean election� slogan during polling for the Lok Sabha election on Thursday.
The Opposition party said it was necessary to take action against Patton, who also holds the home portfolio, so that Nagaland can be saved from all anti-social elements, particularly during the electioneering process.
The NPF also asked the CEO to take action against the erring government officials who were deputed as presiding officers and polling officers, for allegedly encouraging and allowing such malpractice.
In a statement, the NPF said it was shocked to come across a video which showed the �nefarious act� of Patton wearing the saffron party�s traditional scarf and entering the 37 Riphyim Old polling station in his home constituency Tyui in Wokha district before casting votes eight times on Thursday.
�It is never in the wildest of dreams, we expect a leader, in the form of the Deputy Chief Minister who also holds the Home portfolio, instead of advocating and guiding the future generation to be sensible with law and order, to totally violate and defy and demoralise the virtue of the law abiding citizens,� the NPF said.
The NPF pointed out that the Election Commission of India banned display of party symbols within 200 metres from polling booths on the day of polling.
But the Deputy Chief Minister in the People�s Democratic Alliance government in Nagaland defied all norms and regulations set in the election code of conduct and entered the polling booth wearing the BJP scarf to cast his vote, the NPF said.
It said that in the video, Patton was clearly seen proxy voting eight times, breaching the �clean election� and �one man one vote� message advocated by government agencies and also by the church, civil societies, etc.
On Thursday, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee also demanded action against Patton for violating the model code of conduct.
